Key Moments:
- Virgin Media O2 has identified a notable increase in scam texts involving gambling prizes, recruitment, and car finance during August.
- The company has already blocked over 600 million scam texts from reaching its customers this year.
- Customers are encouraged to report suspicious messages for free to 7726, bolstering fraud prevention efforts.
Scam Text Incidents Increase in August
Virgin Media O2 has called on UK residents to be alert due to a recent escalation in fraudulent text messages. The telecom provider’s review of reported and blocked messages in August has shown significant growth in various types of text-based scams, particularly those related to fake gambling prizes, fraudulent job offers, and deceptive car finance schemes.
🚨 We’ve blocked 600M+ scam texts so far in 2025 – more than double the total from 2023 and 2024 combined.
Fraudsters are targeting people with fake gambling, recruitment, and car finance messages.
📲 If you get a suspicious text:
➡️ Forward it to 7726
➡️ Or use the ‘report… pic.twitter.com/8EalVxTSwt— Virgin Media O2 News (@VMO2News) September 4, 2025
Main Scam Types Affecting UK Consumers
The most common form of scam currently observed involves fraudulent gambling or prize promotions. Cybercriminals send texts offering supposed free “credit,” prizes, or rewards, accompanied by links to unsafe websites. Victims are prompted to provide sensitive personal information, including bank details, in order to claim the fictitious rewards.
Another widespread scam is the “Hi Mum / Hi Dad” tactic, where attackers contact individuals pretending to be their children in distress using a new phone number and request money transfers.
Fake parking fines are also prevalent, with messages threatening victims with large fines or license revocation unless they visit dubious websites and make prompt payments.
Additionally, recruitment scams offering non-existent lucrative positions and car finance scams promising compensation continue to rise. In such cases, fraudsters often seek personal details and may request payment of fees to facilitate access to jobs or compensation.
Virgin Media O2’s Fraud Mitigation Efforts
Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: “Scammers aren’t sticking to old tricks; they’re evolving fast, tapping into trending news and targeting vulnerable people with fake prizes, job offers and financial compensation schemes.
“At Virgin Media O2 we’re doing everything we can and have already blocked more than 600 million scam texts from reaching our customers so far this year. By analysing these messages and sounding the alarm, we’re helping to spread the word about the latest trends and help Brits to swerve the scammers.
“But with fraud continuing to increase, we’re reminding people to remain vigilant; always be careful when you receive a call or text out of the blue, don’t share personal details with anyone and report suspicious messages for free to 7726.”
Consumer Actions and Reporting
Virgin Media O2 continues to urge its customers, and consumers in general, to forward any suspicious texts or calls to 7726, a free reporting service available on all networks. Certain device users, such as those with newer iPhones, can also use the “report junk” tool in their messaging app for messages from unknown contacts.
By reporting scam messages, consumers assist in the rapid identification and removal of new threats. Once reported, numbers are blocked by Virgin Media O2 and the associated messages are analyzed, helping to refine and strengthen the company’s machine learning-powered blocking systems for advanced scam detection.
| Type of Scam | Common Tactics Used |
|---|---|
| Gambling/Fake Prize | Offers of free credit, prizes, or rewards via unsafe links asking for personal and banking information |
| “Hi Mum / Hi Dad” | Pretending to be a family member in distress on a new number, requesting money transfers |
| Fake Parking Fines | Threats of significant fines or license revocation, requiring immediate payment via suspicious websites |
| Recruitment | False claim of lucrative job offers, requesting personal information and fees for securing a position |
| Car Finance | Promising compensation, urging victims to provide details and possibly pay fees for services |
- Author
Daniel Williams
