Mobile (07) numbers Mixed
Numbers starting 071 to 079 (except 070) are UK mobiles. Most calls are ordinary people and businesses — but unknown mobile calls are also a very common scam channel, and 26% of people say they would answer an unrecognised UK mobile number, which fraudsters exploit.
Just had a call? Check if it was legal →Answer a few questions and get a verdict, the right regulator to report it to, and a ready-to-send complaint.What 07 mobile numbers are
07 is the UK mobile range (071–075, 077, 078, 079). 076 is used for pagers, and 070 is something different (a 'personal number' — see that page). A mobile number belongs to a SIM, not a place.
Who calls from 07 mobile numbers
- Individuals and sole traders
- Small businesses, tradespeople and delivery drivers
- Unfortunately, also scam call centres and spoofed-mobile fraud
How scammers use 07 mobile numbers
Fraudsters increasingly spoof UK mobile numbers because people are far more likely to answer them than an obvious international or premium number. Ofcom is introducing rules to block overseas calls that fake a UK mobile number, but until those fully land, treat an unexpected 07 call asking for money or details with caution.
Which 07 prefixes are genuine UK mobile numbers?
Ofcom’s National Telephone Numbering Plan sets out exactly what each 07 range is for — and not everything starting 07 is a mobile:
| Prefix | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| 071–075 | UK mobile numbers |
| 070 | Not a mobile. “Personal numbers” — a call-forwarding service that can cost more to ring |
| 076 | Radiopaging services — with one exception: 07624 is Isle of Man mobile |
| 077–079 | UK mobile numbers |
So if you searched for a specific range — 07300 numbers, 07500 numbers, 07700 numbers, 07900 numbers — those all sit inside the genuine mobile ranges. A real mobile prefix, though, tells you nothing about who is actually calling; see below.
The 070 trap: it looks like a mobile, it isn't
070 “personal numbers” are a forwarding service: the caller keeps their real number hidden and calls route on to wherever they choose. Because they look exactly like mobile numbers, they were a favourite for missed-call bait and fake classified-ad contacts — you call what you think is a mobile back and pay inflated rates. Ofcom capped the wholesale cost of 070 calls in October 2019, which cut the fraud sharply, but some providers still price 070 above an ordinary mobile call and outside inclusive minutes. If a “mobile” number starts 070, treat it as a business-grade forwarding number, not a person’s phone — and check what your provider charges before ringing it back.
A genuine mobile prefix does not mean a genuine caller
Caller ID is presentation, not proof: scam operations routinely display real UK mobile numbers they do not own, and a spoofed 07 number can belong to an innocent person who has no idea it is being shown on your screen. That cuts both ways — you cannot conclude a call is safe because the prefix is a real mobile range, and you should not assume a number that called you is guilty either. The reliable checks are behavioural: an unexpected call that asks for remote access, one-time passcodes, bank details or an urgent payment is a scam regardless of what number it shows. Hang up and call the organisation back on the number printed on your card or its official website, and forward scam texts to 7726 — Ofcom’s free reporting service that lets your network investigate and block the sender.
Why the number on your screen isn’t proof
The single most important thing to know about any incoming call is this: the number you see can be faked. Through a technique called “spoofing”, a caller can make almost any number appear on your display — a bank’s real 0800 line, a local landline, even your own number. So the caller ID is a hint, never proof of identity.
Ofcom now requires phone networks to block many overseas calls that fake a UK landline number, and rules to block spoofed UK mobile numbers are on the way — but gaps remain. Until then, judge a call on what it asks you to do, not on the number it shows.
What to do when one of these calls comes in
- Never share security details — passwords, PINs, one-time codes or card numbers — on a call you did not start.
- If it claims to be your bank, HMRC or a company you use, hang up and call them back on a number from your card, statement or their official website.
- Don’t be rushed. Pressure to act “right now” is the most reliable scam signal.
- If money is involved, dial 159 to reach your bank safely; call 999 if you feel in danger.
Cut future nuisance calls
- Register free with the Telephone Preference Service — it becomes unlawful for UK companies to make live marketing calls to you after 28 days.
- Turn on your network’s free call protection — BT Call Protect, Sky Talk Shield, EE Scam Guard, and the O2 / Vodafone / Three apps screen known nuisance callers before your phone rings.
Where to report a bad call
- A marketing or recorded sales call → the ICO.
- A silent or abandoned call → Ofcom.
- A scam → Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 (Police Scotland 101).
Not sure which applies? The Cold-Call Checker works it out for you and writes the complaint.
Other kinds of number
Often legitimate
Often legitimate
Higher risk
Higher risk
Premium cost
Higher risk
Higher risk
Mixed
Sources
This is general guidance about a type of phone number, not a claim about any specific number or caller, and not legal advice. Number rules and costs are current as of the date above and can change.