Virgin Media O2 issues fraud warning after millions served fake customer service phone numbers by AI

• Millions of Brits have been served with fake customer service numbers via search engines and AI tools, new research from Virgin Media O2 shows.

• Scammers have been able to influence AI search results so that fake customer service numbers are presented to customers looking to contact companies.

• Despite the risks, around one in 10 people always trust a phone number generated by AI, with 15% of Brits never taking any additional steps to verify it is legitimate.

• Virgin Media O2 is offering tips to stay safe online, urging Brits to report suspicious numbers to 7726.

• The telecoms company is investing heavily in anti-fraud technology, including using AI to flag more than 1 billion suspicious incoming calls to customers before they pick up the phone

Virgin Media O2 is urging customers to stay alert after new research reveals AI tools are directing customers to fake customer service phone lines – putting millions of consumers at risk of fraud.

Around 1 in 8 (13%) Brits, rising to more than a quarter (27%) of older Gen Z and Millennials aged 25–34, has been presented with a fake customer service number via search engines or AI tools. A further 1 in 5 (22%) say they’re unsure whether a number they encountered online was genuine.

Criminals are exploiting AI‑powered tools so that consumers looking to contact trusted brands are shown fake phone numbers, websites and search results, which they use to capture data and perpetrate fraud.

Well over one in ten consumers (13%) always assume the top search result is official, a figure that jumps to one in five (20%) among 25–34yearolds. Trust in AI is also high, with 10% of people – and almost one in five (19%) older Gen Z and Millennials – relying on phone numbers generated by AI tools. One in seven people (15%) admit they never doublecheck whether a number is legitimate.

Virgin Media O2 has dealt with fraud cases where customers have called these numbers and been scammed. It’s warning this sophisticated fraud is on the rise and urging consumers to be on their guard.

Swerve the Scammers

To help customers stay safe, Virgin Media O2 is offering advice when looking for a customer service number online:

• Only use customer service numbers listed on official company websites, apps or on your bill. For customers looking to speak to O2, the quickest way is calling 202 from an O2 device and for Virgin Media it’s 150 from the landline.
• Be cautious of numbers returned by search engines, social media posts or AI tools
• Never share security codes or personal details with unsolicited callers – no matter who they say they are from.
• Report suspected calls and texts to 7726 on any network to help shut down scams faster in future.

Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: “Criminals know when people search for help, they’re often looking for a quick answer. AI tools are creating new opportunities for fraudsters to create realistic looking fake numbers that appear through search results or chatbots, putting people at risk of calling a criminal rather than their trusted provider.

“At Virgin Media O2, we’re doing all we can to keep customers safe by blocking known scammer numbers on the network and using AI to flag more than 1 billion suspicious calls to date. But with scammers looking to exploit new channels to target victims, everyone can help us keep people safe by reporting dodgy numbers to 7726 so we can shut down scams faster in future.”

Through its Swerve the Scammers campaign, Virgin Media O2 continues to invest in fraud prevention and awareness. This includes rolling out AI scam call detection for free to its customers, which has now flagged more than 1 billion suspicious calls to date. This is on top of blocking more than 1 billion scam text messages.

It also offers Brand ID, a free feature which reduces the number of calls customers receive from unknown numbers by providing details of the organisation making the call. Businesses signed up to the service including major banks and insurers.

The operator is also collaborating with cross-sector partners through initiatives like Stop Scams UK, working together with other telecoms, banking, and major tech companies to fight fraud through data-sharing agreements and developing new technologies to disrupt criminal networks.

Last year, it also launched ‘Scam School’ sessions across the UK, offering free, in-person fraud awareness training workshops for people with low digital confidence.