The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is investigating a significant rise in complaints regarding automated calls, commonly referred to as 'robo calls,' which request recipients to add the caller on WhatsApp. In September, the ICO received over 3,600 complaints about these calls, marking a five-year high and nearly tripling the number from July. The ICO believes that millions of individuals may be receiving these calls and expressed concern over the increase during an interview on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours.
The ICO advises individuals to disregard calls from unfamiliar numbers and to block and report any suspicious calls. These automated calls typically originate from numbers that appear to be UK mobile numbers and often mention offers of part-time work.
Simon Fell, a representative from the Communications Crime Strategy Group, noted that while he could not confirm the exact nature of the scam, it is likely to be a recruitment scam. He explained that recipients might be directed to a fake job listing, potentially involving money laundering, or it could simply be a phishing attempt aimed at gathering information on active users, which can then be sold on the dark web.
Andy Curry, head of criminal investigations at the ICO, indicated that the calls might be originating from outside the UK. He emphasized the need to identify the perpetrators and understand the impact on the public, estimating that the complaints received represent only a small fraction of those affected.
Fell mentioned that mobile companies are collaborating on various measures to combat the surge in automated calls, including sharing intelligence with the regulator Ofcom and working with law enforcement. He also highlighted the importance of liaising with Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, as any communication initiated through the platform could hinder further investigation.
A spokesperson for WhatsApp stated that the platform has implemented features to protect users from scam calls, such as silencing calls from unknown numbers, and that millions of accounts are banned annually for malicious activities. Although the calls often appear to come from legitimate UK mobile numbers, these numbers can be spoofed by scammers.
Last November, the UK government pledged to eliminate call spoofing within a year, with a Home Office spokesperson stating that the government is committed to taking strong action against scams and is working alongside the industry to fulfill the Telecommunications Charter by November.