General — who called me?

What to look for in this category

This is the catch-all category for unknown numbers that don’t fit a recognised scam pattern — sales cold-calls, market-research, debt-collection, charity fundraising, missed calls from unfamiliar landlines. Most are legitimate but unwanted; a small minority are scams trying out new scripts.

Tell-tale signs

• Caller can’t name your account or relationship straight away
• Refuses to give you a callback number on a published company line
• Pushes for an immediate yes/no decision
• Refuses to send written confirmation

What to do right now

Use the lookup on our homepage to identify the Ofcom range holder for the number. If it’s a known telemarketing reseller, you can register with the Telephone Preference Service (tpsonline.org.uk) to opt out of cold sales calls — it has no effect on scammers but cuts legitimate sales noise sharply within 28 days.

Where to report it

Persistent or silent calls: Ofcom at ofcom.org.uk/complaints. Outright fraud: Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Guidance is general — not legal or financial advice. If you have lost money, contact your bank immediately and report to Action Fraud (or Police Scotland on 101).