Fraudsters are impersonating engineers from BT to con Britons worried about the nationwide landline switch-off into handing over their payment details. The scam plays on fears around the January 2025 deadline for the transition from traditional copper phone lines to broadband-powered landlines across the UK.
Victims of the malicious campaign report that cold callers, purporting to be from BT, ring-up and ask for payment information to ensure the landline can transition to digital before the deadline in a matter of days. Those who refuse an on-the-spot payment are threatened with a disconnected phone line, Which? reports.
While there was a January 2025 deadline set by the industry for the switch to broadband-fuelled landlines, this was delayed to early 2027 last year. BT has confirmed that the digital switchover will not require any changes to your existing monthly plan or bill, and phone numbers will remain the same.
Aaron Brown explains changes coming to traditional landlines across UK
If someone calls and claims anything different, it’s a scam — and you should hang up.
Some of the fraudsters appear disturbingly well-informed, with the victim’s name and address on-hand to make the call seem legitimate. It’s unclear how many people have received scam calls.
For those who missed the news, the UK-wide landline switch-off was first announced back in November 2017.
Crucially, this is not a Government scheme or deadline, with the timeline being proposed by the industry itself. At the time, industry heavyweights said they were struggling to find parts to maintain and repair analogue phone lines as few companies are still making the components used by this 100-year-old system.
But it’s not just about the nuts and bolts to keep landlines working. As you already know if you’ve used WhatsApp to chat to someone on the other side of the planet, all-digital calls can offer much clearer calls, especially over longer distances.
Not only that, but features you’d usually associate with your mobile phone, like blocking calls from withheld numbers or putting incoming calls in a queue when you’re already talking on the phone, are all possible with these broadband-powered landlines.
Almost everyone in the UK was supposed to be reliant on a broadband-powered landline by now… but the deadline was revised to early 2027 following a series of setbacks
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As the scam callers note, the deadline for this nationwide transition was set for January 2025. However, following a slew of issues, which saw BT customers lose access to the landline number they’d held for 50 years, others stranded without a landline connection for days, and a small number of vulnerable people with personal safety alarms left unable to contact emergency services— that deadline has been revised.
In May 2024, BT-owned Openreach confirmed rumoured plans to postpone the landline cull for an additional 13 months. The new deadline to move to broadband-powered phones across the UK will be January 31, 2027.
The process of switching the landline connected to your home is free of charge. You will be contacted before the switchover happens, but there won’t be any payment taken — so anyone who calls to check payment details or personal information is likely part of the ongoing scam campaign.
How you can protect yourself from the onslaught of landline scam calls
- Treat all unsolicited calls with caution, even if they claim to be from BT or other trusted organisations
- Never share personal information, payment details, or passwords over the phone
- Ignore calls from unknown numbers — legitimate callers will leave a voicemail
- Be wary of pressure tactics or urgent demands for immediate action
- Never give anyone remote access to your computer
- Register with the Telephone Preference Service to reduce unwanted calls
- Consider using call blocking services or phones that only allow trusted numbers through
- Be warned: Caller ID cannot always be trusted
If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from BT where the person on the other end of the line starts to pressure you into sending payment for a landline switch, hang up immediately and call back on BT’s official number to verify. Contact your bank immediately if you’ve shared payment details with a suspected scammer.
Most banks and credit card providers can take steps to protect your money and even issue refunds.
BT operates a customer support line Monday to Friday 8am — 9pm on 0330 1234 150. Calls are free when calling from the BT network, however, calls from other networks may be charged. If you’re calling on a weekend or Bank Holiday, beware that opening times are slightly different, running from 8am — 8pm.
Have you, or someone you know, been a victim of fraud?
You can report and get advice about fraud or cyber crime on our website or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Please visit Action Fraud for information on how to protect yourself against fraud. https://t.co/YpC1XqZzkd pic.twitter.com/c5OgRWPCh7
— Action Fraud (@actionfrauduk) January 10, 2025
If you suspect that you’ve been targeted by the scammers trying to trick Britons out of money over the nationwide landline switch-off, report all phone scams to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Block any suspicious numbers after reporting them to Action Fraud.
Trust your instincts — if something sounds suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is.
If you already have a full-fibre broadband plan with providers like BT, TalkTalk, or Plusnet, you’re likely already using Digital Voice. To check if you’re on the new system, look for “Digital Voice” branding on your handset or check whether it’s connected to your Wi-Fi router rather than a phone socket.
Three Digital Voice handsets from BT, the proprietary system created by the brand to offer VoIP calls to customers after copper landlines are retired in early 2027
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As it stands, some 2 million people across the UK are already using Digital Voice.
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10 key facts about the landline switch-off
- It’s not just BT, with all UK landline providers moving away from analogue landlines
- The new technology relies on an entirely digital VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) system
- VoIP is used to power WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Facebook Messenger audio calls
- Only BT uses the branding ‘Digital Voice’, with others launching their own equivalents
- Your landline number will not be changed during the switchover
- BT plans to complete its switch nationwide by mid-2024
- The traditional copper landline network will stop working in January 2027
- Existing broadband customers won’t be charged extra after the switch
- Traditional landlines continue to work during a power cut as they draw power from the exchange
- But VoIP systems will not work during outages without a backup power bank