Virgin Media O2 has warned customers about the latest scams being circulated by fraudsters over text and phone calls.
The top two most common texts blocked on the network include the "hi mum" or "hi dad" text scam targeted to trick parents, followed up by fake delivery and bank payment texts. Rounding up the top five are crypto or investing schemes texts and then, finally, dodgy debt write off texts.
Customers have been warned to watch out for these five messages the firm says makes up 95% of all scam messages blocked on Virgin Media O2's network.
The report comes after the firm analysed and blocked tens of millions of 'malicious' and fraudulent text messages to its customers, reports the Express.
In 'sophisticated' attempts to pose as trustworthy sources, scammers have pretended to be various institutions — including banks and delivery companies — to even feigning to be people's children.
Fraudsters may tell you that something is wrong with your delivery and try to get you to visit a scam website to rearrange, add more detail or pay for a "delivery" in the hope of gaining customer bank details.
Failed payment texts are another common ploy where scammers 'notify' you over issues with your bank account. And with the rise of cryptocurrency, con artists claim that customers can earn large returns on their investment if they visit a website.
Liam Rawsthorne, Head of Fraud at Virgin Media O2 said: "We’re working relentlessly to stop fraudsters in their tracks, helping keep our customers safer by blocking millions of spam texts and calls every month.
"The five most common texts blocked on our network show just how sophisticated scammers are, with these criminals always looking for new ways to reach their victims by posing as the people and businesses we trust.
"Taking the time to stop and think before calling back or clicking through can make all the difference and, by forwarding on scam texts to 7726 for free, you can help spot new trends and tricks, so we can build even stronger defences."
To help prevent more scams from reaching people, the telecoms firm has urged its customers to forward any suspicious texts they receive to 7726.
Virgin Media O2 also says it analyses these texts to block tens of millions of malicious and fraudulent text messages targeting its customers.
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