01870 area code: Isle of Benbecula

Is a call from 01870 a scam?

Not necessarily. The area code tells you where a number was allocated, not who is calling. Ofcom says scammers can fake the number that appears on your phone, which is called spoofing, and that they imitate UK numbers to look like a trusted person or organisation. So a number that looks local does not prove the caller is nearby, or that they are who they say.

Since 29 January 2025, Ofcom has required UK phone companies to identify and block calls from abroad that falsely show a UK landline number. Even so, treat the number on your screen as a clue, not proof.

If you are not sure about a call:

• do not give personal or bank details to someone who called you;
• hang up and call the organisation on a number from its official website or your statement;
• if they said they were your bank, call 159 to be put through to your bank, if your bank supports it;
• report fraud to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040 (in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101).

You can also look up the full number to see its Ofcom details and what visitors said about it.

Who Ofcom allocated 01870 numbers to

Ofcom allocates numbers to phone companies in blocks. In 01870 it has allocated 328,000 numbers to 74 providers, most recently on 21 February 2025. The largest holders are:

1. BT: 32,000 numbers
2. Digital Space Group Limited: 11,000 numbers
3. (AQ) LIMITED: 10,000 numbers
4. Andrews & Arnold (Numbers) Ltd: 10,000 numbers
5. AQL Wholesale Ltd: 10,000 numbers

These are the providers Ofcom allocated blocks to. They are not the people or businesses that use the numbers, and a number may since have moved to a different network, because people can usually keep their number when they switch provider. Ofcom does not hold information about individual numbers.