Guide

Report Nuisance Calls to Ofcom

How to report unwanted calls, texts and silent calls to Ofcom, and what actually happens when you do.

James T.

Consumer Rights Editor

Published 20th January 2026 Updated 2nd March 2026 6 min read

Quick Report Links

Report Nuisance Calls Live & silent calls

Report Spam Texts Forward to 7726

What is Ofcom?

Ofcom (Office of Communications) is the UK's regulator for communications services. They can investigate companies making nuisance calls and issue fines of up to £2 million per breach.

£2M

Maximum fine per breach

180K+

Reports received yearly

£50M+

Fines issued since 2018

What Can You Report?

Report to Ofcom

✓ Silent or abandoned calls
✓ Live marketing calls (without consent)
✓ Recorded marketing messages
✓ Spam text messages
✓ Caller ID spoofing

Report Elsewhere

✗ Fraud/scams → Action Fraud
✗ Threats/harassment → Police (101)
✗ Data breaches → ICO
✗ Phishing emails → [email protected]
✗ Personal disputes → Legal advice

How to Report to Ofcom

Gather Information

Collect: phone number, date/time, company name (if given), what was said, type of call, your TPS status.

Visit Ofcom Website

Open Ofcom Report Form

Complete the Form

Fill in your details, call information, and any evidence you have (screenshots, recordings).

Submit & Keep Records

Save your reference number. Ofcom reviews all reports but may not respond individually.

Report Spam Texts (7726)

Forward spam texts to 7726 (spells SPAM). This free service works on all UK networks.

7726

Free spam reporting Works on all UK networks

iPhone

1. Press and hold the spam message
2. Tap More... then forward arrow
3. Enter 7726 as recipient
4. Send, then reply with sender's number

Android

1. Press and hold the spam message
2. Tap ⋮ then Forward
3. Enter 7726 as recipient
4. Send, then reply with sender's number

Other Places to Report

Action Fraud

Scams & fraud

UK's national fraud reporting centre

ICO

Data protection

Data misuse & automated marketing

TPS

Stop sales calls

Police (101)

Threats & harassment

For threatening or harassing calls

What Happens After You Report?

Reports Collected

Ofcom gathers reports to identify patterns

Investigation

Persistent offenders are investigated

Enforcement

Fines up to £2M and licence revocation

Note: Ofcom may not respond individually. Your report helps build cases against persistent offenders.

In the Meantime

Reporting helps in the long run, but there are things you can do right now to cut down on nuisance calls:

Block Unwanted Calls

Stop spam on any device

Recognise Common Scams

HMRC, bank & tech support fraud

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Ofcom stop the calls I'm receiving?

Ofcom can't stop individual calls, but your report helps them build cases that result in enforcement action stopping calls for everyone.

Should I report every nuisance call?

Yes, if you have time. Even calls from overseas help identify trends. The more reports, the stronger the case.

Is it worth reporting if I'm on TPS?

Definitely. Calling someone on the TPS register without consent is a breach. Companies can be fined for it, so your report carries extra weight.

About the Author

James T.

Consumer Rights Editor

Consumer Protection Specialist

James has extensive experience in consumer protection and telecommunications regulations. He reviews CallerCheck reports related to nuisance calls and ensures our guidance on reporting to Ofcom, the ICO, and Action Fraud stays accurate. James tracks regulatory changes and enforcement actions to help readers understand their rights and the most effective ways to report unwanted callers.

Ofcom Regulations Consumer Rights Complaints Procedures Reporting

Updated Published 20th January 2026 · Updated 2nd March 2026 Reviewed by CallerCheck Editorial Team

Official guidance we align with

CallerCheck safety guidance is informed by UK consumer-protection and telecoms guidance. Official reporting routes include:

Action Fraud — the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime
Ofcom — guidance on nuisance calls, scam messages and phone numbering
The ICO — guidance on unwanted marketing calls, texts and your data rights
The National Cyber Security Centre — guidance on phishing and suspicious messages
7726 — the free number for forwarding spam texts to your mobile network
159 — the short number that connects you safely to your bank if a call about money seems suspicious

Community reports can help identify patterns, but they are not official confirmation. Always verify payment requests, account warnings or legal threats using contact details found independently.