Telephone Preference Service (TPS)

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) helps you to make sure your phone number is no longer available to organisations who may call you with offers and information you do not wish to receive. It is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have registered their number with the TPS. Please visit the TPS website if you would like to register.

If you are receiving unsolicited sales and marketing recorded messages, and you have not given prior consent to receive such messages, you can ask the marketer to stop sending these. They are legally obliged to act upon your request. If you are still receiving such calls you can complain either to the Direct Marketing Association or the Information Commissioner's Office.

Protect yourself from phone scams

Never give out your personal details over the phone if you can't verify the caller is who they say they are. When calling your bank or financial institution only dial the number from a trustworthy published source. E.g. the number published on your bank statement, or on the back of your credit card. Due to the nature of email it's very unlikely that your bank will ever email you and it is even less likely for your bank to email you their telephone number. Don't dial phone numbers that you receive in emails claiming to be from your bank.

Please be aware that if you're asked to dial a 090 number, that calls to these numbers can incur significant charges.

More information on premium rate numbers is available from PhonepayPlus, a telephone watchdog.