02030267913

I've received three calls from this number, and I’ve chosen to ignore them all. It’s quite strange, really, as I don’t have any acquaintances residing in London.

I had a rather peculiar phone call today, albeit from a number that closely resembles (020 3026 7946) one I've been receiving quite frequently lately. It might very well be connected. It seems there’s a dodgy outfit, or perhaps a solitary crook, employing a block of 020 numbers along with some software to churn out rapid-fire, automated silent calls that hang up almost instantaneously when answered. If you attempt to ring these numbers back, you’ll find they aren’t set up to handle incoming calls at all. What’s likely occurring here is a phishing operation aimed at confirming whether certain phone numbers are indeed active. Essentially, they’ve cobbled together lists of random digits, and by prompting someone to answer, they’re figuring out which numbers are live. By picking up, you inadvertently mark your number as valid, which could make you an appealing target for nefarious schemes. They may then compile your number onto a so-called ‘hot list’ to peddle to other fraudsters, or they might target you directly. It’s quite the coincidence that after engaging with one of these automated silent calls, you often receive a follow-up from an actual person-likely a fraudster-within a few days, pointing to a clear connection between these mass-phishing 020 calls and targeted telephone scams occurring across the UK. They usually impersonate someone from a broadband provider with an irresistible deal, or pretend to represent the Inland Revenue, Royal Mail, or even a courier seeking payment for a delivery. It’s all part of an elaborate ruse to extract sensitive financial information over the phone. To minimise the risk of falling prey to these fraudsters, it’s wise to avoid engaging with these persistent 020 calls altogether. I suggest blocking them immediately, as the scammers won’t bother with numbers that don’t respond. If you receive an unexpected 020 call, do not answer; instead, perform a quick Google search to check if it’s associated with these troublesome individuals. If you're feeling particularly bold, you might try calling back while concealing your number, but if it doesn’t connect, simply add it to your blocked list. The folks behind these 020 automated phishing calls are orchestrating some rather cunning fraud schemes, often targeting the more vulnerable or elderly citizens, resulting in millions lost each year. I wholeheartedly encourage anyone getting these 020 calls to report them to their telecom provider, especially if online searches reveal the company behind the virtual number. You can also report these incidents through the Cyber Crime Police service, who are clued into the activities of this group. It’s imperative that we all share information and evidence. Only through collective action will we be able to apprehend these criminals and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.

The individual who rang me asserted they were affiliated with the housing repairs service. However, when I clarified that I'm not a tenant of the council, the caller's frustration became quite apparent.

They've rung me about five or six times now, just ignoring it every time.

got a call from some dodgy number, total spam!

When I answered, there was just silence at first, then the caller said they were checking about some damage to my property. I instantly felt it was dodgy, so I ended the call right away.

Got a call about some damage to my house, but the person wasn’t speaking English properly and just hung up on me. Complete waste of time.

When someone said they were calling from Sky, I got a bit suspicious and decided to just end the call straight away to avoid any chance of a scam.

I missed the call and was just curious about who it might have been.