Why am I getting so many spam phone calls?
Reported rise in PPI adverts, double glazing scams, and false job adverts still getting through on phones
While online safety and bank app scams are on people's minds, fraudsters are apparently not beyond a more old-fashioned phone call scam, with many having seen a recent spike.
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Citizens Advice states that typical nuisance calls are frequently advertising services you did not sign up for, or did not need, such as mis-sold PPI or double glazing.
On Reddit, some users have also noticed a rise in calls from non-descript-sounding job recruiters about positions you did not apply for.
One said: "I've had a load this week, which is unusual (on my mobile number), so maybe a new list of numbers has gone into the wild?"
Another added:"[I get loads from] IT 'recruiters' about their great job opportunities. I don’t work in IT. I struggle to use my phone!"
Why am I getting so many spam phone calls?
It is not as simple as refusing to give your number out, not answering the phone to non-contacts, or posting your number in a Gumtree advert.
Nuisance callers can get numbers from data leaks, and once a number is on a list, it can stay there for years, if not forever.
Criminal networks can buy data, including phone numbers, from each other, which can lead to your number being shared further afield.
Sometimes, automated call bots can dial numbers at random and identify when somebody has picked up - and then mark your number as 'active' if you do.
The UK's Telephone Preference Service is designed to stop nuisance calls, but criminals are still able to find ways around it - and anyone can be targeted.
But despite anecdotal reports of a recent rise in nuisance calls, Ofcom, which regulates communications services, said its most recent study in February showed 32% of phone users received a suspicious call in the past three months, down from 42% at the same time the previous year.
How can I stop them?
"The best way to reduce nuisance calls is to register for free with the Telephone Preference Service," Citizens Advice has said. "They’ll add you to their list of numbers that don’t want to receive sales and marketing calls."
An Ofcom spokesperson told LBC: “Scams can have a devastating impact on victims' lives.
"If you receive an unsolicited call that you suspect might be a scam, hang up the phone straight away and never give out any personal information."
Your phone, if it has a modern operating system, should be equipped to recognise when a number looks fishy, but if that does not work, another option is to block all unknown numbers.
Ofcom said that the call or text can be reported to 7726, and that more information can be found at ofcom.org.uk/onyourside
Citizens Advice said you can also report them to the Information Commissioner's Office.