Thousands of phone numbers will be blocked by telephone regulator Ofcom to try to crack down on scam calls that rip off Brits.
Ofcom said 45million people were targeted by scam calls and texts last summer, and one million lost cash as a result.
Many of these numbers imitated, or 'spoofed', legitimate numbers such as banks and government organisations.
Now the regulator said numbers will be automatically banned if they originate from abroad and have no caller ID.
Numbers will also be blocked if they don't meet the UK’s 10- or 11-digit format, or seem to be from numbers already on Ofcom’s Do Not Originate list.
This is a roster of phone numbers that never make outbound calls, only receive them - such as bank customer service hotlines.
An Ofcom statement said: "Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and nearly a million of these consumers followed the scammers’ instructions, risking financial loss and emotional distress."
Have you been the victim of a phone scam? Get in touch: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
The way it will work is that phone networks will have to take action against numbers that are "clearly spoofed", Ofcom said.
When network TalkTalk trialled blocking dodgy-looking overseas phone calls it found that scam calls fell by 65%.
Ofcom also thinks it will have more options to crack down on scam calls once traditional landlines are replaced by digital ones .
A new 'digital' phone will be used in all UK homes instead of a landline by 2025, which will force all homes online when the switchover happens.
The phone will be powered by electricity and will require an internet connection to make calls.
Ofcom director of network infrastructure and resilience Huw Saunders said: “The threat posed by scammers has grown significantly in recent years, and the sophisticated tactics used by these criminals can have devastating consequences for victims.
“We’re taking action so phone companies have stronger systems in place to disrupt scams.
"While there is no silver bullet that will end the scourge of scam calls completely, we’re working with industry on how we can use technology to make it as difficult as possible to reach people.”
Just two days ago The Mirror reported that sophisticated scammers are exploiting the cost of living crisis by sending messages to people worried about soaring energy bills.
UK Finance, the banking trade body, urged people to be vigilant after noticing a rise in the number of "smishing," or SMS phishing, scams that aim to impersonate major energy companies.
Recipients are told that their energy supply has been switched to another provider and that they should set up a new direct debit.
It follows the collapse of 27 energy firms since August 2021 , on the back of a spike in wholesale gas prices - a move that has pushed millions of households on to other providers.
Household energy bills will rise by almost £700 this year after Ofgem, the energy regulator, said earlier this month that it would lift the price cap by a record 55 per cent to £1,971.
Ofgem also said that it was aware fraudsters were impersonating it: "Scammers may sometimes contact you pretending to be from Ofgem.
"For example, a scammer might say they are from Ofgem and suggest you switch and then ask for your bank details.
