Two elderly Warrington residents picked up the phone this summer to a caller claiming to be a Metropolitan Police officer. Both realised it was a scam before any money changed hands. Calls like these remain one of the most common ways fraud reaches local homes.
Nuisance calls and outright scams are not the same thing, yet both lean on the same weak spot: a ringing phone. For a national view, the GDPR & Data Protection Course team has put the latest figures on nuisance and scam calls on one nuisance calls statistics page. It draws on ICO and Ofcom data. Those numbers help explain what Warrington households and firms are up against.
What Do the National Figures Show?
The headline numbers come from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the telecoms regulator Ofcom. They measure different things, so they should not be added together. Here is what the most recent data shows:
- Complaints: the ICO logged 48,395 concerns about telesales calls and texts in 2025/26, against 49,494 the year before.
- Fines: 10 monetary penalties under the marketing rules totalled £1.445 million in 2025/26.
- Penalty ceiling: since 5 February 2026, the maximum fine is £17.5 million or 4% of worldwide turnover, up from a £500,000 cap.
- Suspicious texts: Ofcom’s February 2026 survey found 40% of mobile users had received a suspicious message in the previous 3 months.
- Reports to 7726: about 100 million suspicious messages were forwarded to the free 7726 service in a year.
A small fall in complaints does not mean the problem is fading. Complaints reflect what people bother to report, and one campaign can trigger thousands of them.
How Are Scam Calls Reaching Warrington?
Recent local warnings show two patterns: calls aimed at older residents and calls aimed at businesses. Both rely on a caller sounding official.
In June, Cheshire Police warned that fraudsters posing as Met officers had phoned two elderly residents. The callers claimed a granddaughter had defrauded them. They then told each victim to hang up and dial 999, while secretly keeping the line open. Police shared advice on courier fraud urging families to warn older relatives and neighbours.
Businesses face their own version. In August, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service warned that someone was selling advertising space in a fire service publication that does not exist. The fire service scam warning asked firms in the Warrington and Halton area to report any approach to police on 101.
Is a Nuisance Call the Same as a Scam?
No. A nuisance call is an unwanted marketing call, often from a real company breaking the rules. A scam call is a criminal attempt to steal money or personal details. The two need different responses.
Alt text: man in black polo shirt sitting at the table
Marketing calls fall under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, known as PECR. PECR is a set of rules that sits alongside UK GDPR and governs calls, texts and emails used for marketing. The ICO enforces it, which is why its fines and complaint totals feature so heavily in the statistics.
Scam calls are a matter for the police and Action Fraud. Fraudsters ignore the marketing rules entirely, so call-blocking schemes cannot stop all of them. Even so, cutting the number of legitimate sales calls makes a strange call easier to spot.
What Should Warrington Firms Check Before Making Sales Calls?
Local businesses are not only targets. Many also make sales calls of their own, and the same rules apply to a corner shop as to a national brand. Before a calling campaign starts, a firm should run through these checks:
- Screen every number: check lists against the Telephone Preference Service and its business version, the Corporate TPS.
- Keep a suppression list: record anyone who asks not to be called again and honour it.
- Get consent for texts: marketing texts to individuals normally need prior consent.
- Show a number: callers must not withhold their caller ID.
- Train the people dialling: staff should know the rules before they pick up the phone.
The cost of ignoring this can be steep. In April 2024 the ICO fined Outsource Strategies after it made 1,346,503 calls to numbers registered with the TPS.
What Can Residents Do Today?
A few quick steps will cut unwanted calls and blunt most scams. None of them costs anything:
- Register with the TPS: sign up to the Telephone Preference Service for free and allow up to 28 days for it to take effect.
- Forward suspicious texts: send them to 7726 so mobile networks can block the sender.
- Hang up and wait: if a caller claims to be the police or your bank, end the call and use a different phone if you can.
- Report fraud: call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or Cheshire Police on 101.
- Stay informed: join the council’s iCAN consumer alerts for news of local scams and rogue traders.
Older relatives often face the most pressure on the phone. A short chat about these steps can do more than any call blocker.
Keeping Warrington’s Phone Lines Safer
The national figures show a problem that regulators are fining but have not solved. The local warnings show how quickly a confident caller can unsettle someone at home or at work. Registering with the TPS, reporting suspect calls and checking the rules before making sales calls all help. Each step makes it harder for the next caller to succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Stop Nuisance Calls to My Landline?
Register your number with the Telephone Preference Service, which is free. Many landline providers also offer call-blocking features, and some phones block unknown numbers.
Why Do I Still Get Calls After Joining the TPS?
TPS registration stops most legitimate marketing calls, but it cannot stop criminals or overseas callers who ignore the rules. Registration can also take up to 28 days to take effect.
Who Do I Report a Scam Call to In Warrington?
Report fraud to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or to Cheshire Police on 101. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 from a different phone.
Can a Small Business Be Fined for Nuisance Calls?
Yes. The ICO can fine any organisation that breaks the marketing rules, whatever its size. Since February 2026 the maximum penalty is £17.5 million or 4% of worldwide turnover.
