Vishing: voice phishing scams
Vishing (voice phishing) uses phone calls to trick people into handing over money or personal information. Around 70% of all fraud in the UK involves a phone call at some stage. In one year, vishing contributed to over £14 million in losses reported to UK Finance.
What is vishing?
Vishing is a combination of “voice” and “phishing”. Fraudsters call victims directly, often using spoofed numbers to appear as a trusted organisation, and use psychological pressure to persuade them to transfer money, share bank details, or hand over personal information.
Unlike email phishing, vishing exploits the immediacy and personal nature of a phone call. Scammers create urgency (“your account has been frozen”), authority (“I'm calling from the fraud department”) and fear (“you will be arrested”) to bypass critical thinking. AI voice cloning has added a new dimension: a call can now sound exactly like a family member or colleague.
Common vishing scripts used in the UK
Bank fraud alert
"We've noticed suspicious transactions on your account. To protect your money, you need to transfer it to our secure holding account immediately."
HMRC tax demand
"You have unpaid tax. A warrant for your arrest has been issued. To avoid arrest, you must pay immediately using gift cards or bank transfer."
Tech support: Microsoft or BT
"We've detected a virus on your computer. We need remote access to fix it before it spreads. There will be a charge of £299 for our security services."
Police impersonation
"Your bank account is being used for money laundering. For your protection, you need to withdraw your savings and hand them to our officer for safekeeping."
DVLA vehicle tax
"Your vehicle tax is overdue and your vehicle is at risk of being seized. To prevent this, payment must be made today by bank transfer."
NHS or GP surgery
"We're calling from your GP surgery about a prescription. We need to verify your date of birth and NHS number before we can process this."
Investment opportunity
"We have a limited-time investment opportunity with guaranteed 15% returns. I just need your bank details to set up your investor account."
Grandparent / family emergency
"Gran, it's me. I'm in trouble — I've been arrested and I need £2,000 today. Please don't tell Mum and Dad yet."
Hang up immediately if:
- ✗You are asked to transfer money to a "safe account"
- ✗You are asked to withdraw cash and hand it to a courier
- ✗You are threatened with arrest or legal action
- ✗You are told to keep the call secret from family or your bank
- ✗You are pressured to act immediately without time to think
- ✗You are asked for your full PIN, password, or one-time passcode
- ✗The caller knows personal details and uses them to seem legitimate
The hang-up technique
If something feels wrong, hang up, even mid-sentence. A genuine caller from your bank, HMRC or the police will not mind you calling back to verify. Then wait a few minutes (scammers can hold your landline connection open for up to two minutes after you hang up), then call back on a number you look up independently. If you are using a mobile, this is not an issue: mobile lines clear immediately..
Dial 159
Dialling 159 connects you directly to your bank's fraud team and cannot be intercepted by scammers, even on a landline. It works with all major UK banks.
What to do after a vishing call
- ✓If you transferred money or shared details: call your bank immediately or dial 159.
- ✓Report the call to Action Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040.
- ✓Search the number here on WhoIsCalling to see if others have reported it.
- ✓Tell a trusted friend or family member, both for support and to prevent further contact.
- ✓If you gave remote computer access: disconnect from the internet and contact your bank.