Watch out for phone contract scams – here’s how to protect yourself

Scammers are out in force, calling and emailing victims pretending to be from well-known phone providers.

Their goal is to trick you into signing up for a phone contract you never agreed to.

What’s the scam

You get a call or email from someone claiming to be from your mobile provider. They offer what sounds like a great contract upgrade, maybe a new deal, a better price, or a free phone. It all sounds official and legitimate.

But here’s what really happens:

• You think you’re signing up for an upgrade.
• A few days later, a phone arrives but it’s not the model you were promised, or worse still, you weren’t expecting a phone at all.
• When you call back, the scammer (still pretending to be the provider) asks you to return the phone using a QR code they sent.
• That QR code doesn’t go to the real phone company. It sends the phone to the scammers.
• Now you’re stuck with a long, expensive contract and the fraudsters have the phone.

How to protect yourself

Here’s what you can do to avoid falling for scams like this:

• Hang up on cold calls – if someone calls you out of the blue, don’t trust them. Hang up and call your provider directly using the number on their official website.
• Be suspicious of vague or pushy messages – if a caller doesn’t use your name, asks for personal information, or tries to rush you into action (like clicking a link or giving your bank details), it’s a red flag.
• Never share an OTAC (one-time authorisation code) – real companies will never ask for this code over the phone. Scammers use it to take over your account.
• Check return details – your phone provider will always give you a prepaid return envelope and an official return address. If something seems off, don’t send the phone back.
• Report anything suspicious – if something doesn’t feel right, tell your provider right away.

 Here are three simple steps to take to protect yourself from scams:

1. Stop

   Take a moment before clicking, tapping, or replying.

2. Challenge

   Ask yourself - does this feel right? Is it genuine? Real businesses won’t mind you checking.

3. Protect

   Think you’ve been scammed? Contact your bank straight away and report it to Action Fraud.

You can find more information and ways to spot a scam here: How to outsmart online scammers and Top scams to watch out for in 2025