Virgin Media O2 warns of surge in AI-powered scam phone numbers targeting UK consumers

Virgin Media O2 has issued a fresh fraud warning after its research revealed that millions of UK consumers have encountered fake customer service phone numbers generated or surfaced by AI tools and search engines.

The telecoms provider said fraudsters now manipulate AI-driven search results and online listings to present convincing but fraudulent contact details for well-known brands. Unsuspecting consumers who call these numbers risk handing over sensitive information to criminals.

According to the company’s findings, around 13 per cent of Brits have already been shown a fake customer service number, rising to 27 per cent among those aged 25–34. Meanwhile, 22 per cent remain unsure whether numbers they have found online are genuine.

Additionally, the research found that one in ten consumers say they always trust phone numbers produced by AI tools, while 15 per cent admit they never verify whether a number is legitimate.

Virgin Media O2 said it has already handled fraud cases linked to these tactics, where customers contacted fake support lines and fell victim to scams. The company believes the threat will continue to grow as AI tools become more sophisticated and widely used.

To counter the threat, the operator said it will continue to invest in AI-driven fraud prevention systems. Its network has already flagged more than one billion suspicious calls before customers answered them, while also blocking over one billion scam text messages.

Additional tools include Brand ID, which identifies legitimate business callers, and collaborations with cross-industry initiatives such as Stop Scams UK.

“Criminals know when people search for help, they’re often looking for a quick answer,” said Murray Mackenzie, director of fraud prevention at Virgin Media O2. “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.”