Two phone companies investigated over UK scam calls
Key Points
- Ofcom is investigating Vonage Business and Voxbone over suspected phone number misuse by scammers
- Providers must vet business customers and monitor numbers for misuse
- Vonage paid a £700,000 penalty in 2025 over a 999 outage
- HotMinute readers report automated "add me on WhatsApp" scam calls
Ofcom has opened investigations into Vonage Business and Voxbone over scammers misusing phone numbers.
The UK communications regulator said on Thursday (24 September) that it had gathered information raising concerns about the use of numbers it allocated to the two firms, including to carry out scams.
Ofcom hands out telephone numbers to telecoms companies, usually in large blocks. These firms can then pass the numbers on to other businesses and individuals.
Under Ofcom’s numbering rules, providers must take appropriate steps to stop the businesses and individuals they transfer numbers to from misusing them. Ofcom listed scam calls and texts as examples of this misuse.
The regulator expects phone companies to run know-your-customer checks on business customers to stop scammers from getting hold of valid numbers in the first place. Providers must also monitor business customers for signs of misuse and respond to any incidents reported to them.
The investigations will examine whether both firms complied with General Condition B1. This rule covers the effective and efficient use of phone numbers and how providers oversee that use.
Both probes form part of Ofcom’s enforcement programme targeting phone and text scams. Ofcom said it would gather further information and give an update on both investigations in due course.
The regulator added that it may open further investigations if it suspects other companies have broken its rules.
Vonage fined over 999 outage last year
Ofcom fined Vonage Business £700,000 in September 2025 for a separate breach of its rules. Business customers using Vonage desk phones could not call emergency services between 23 October and 3 November 2023.
Vonage said a planned software update caused the 11-day outage. The company self-reported the incident to Ofcom and agreed to the settlement.
Voxbone is a Brussels-based provider of phone numbers and voice services, which US communications firm Bandwidth bought in 2020.
Readers report WhatsApp scam calls
Several HotMinute readers have reported receiving automated scam calls in recent weeks. Each call plays a recording of a woman with a British accent who says only “add me on WhatsApp”.
There is no suggestion that either company under investigation is connected to these calls.
Ofcom recently launched an online Consumer Hub called On Your Side. The hub includes advice on spotting and avoiding scam calls, texts and messages, along with routes to complain.
