Complaints about automated nuisance calls hit 5-year high
The Information Commission received 3,684 complaints about automated nuisance calls in September 2026, up from 1,374 in July and the highest monthly total since 2021. It said the true number of these calls is likely to be far higher than complaints suggest.
The UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commission said on 9 October 2026 that the number of complaints it gets each month about automated nuisance calls had almost tripled between July and September. It received 1,374 complaints from the public in July, 2,178 in August and 3,684 in September, the highest monthly total since 2021.
The Information Commission said the rise comes as concern grows about marketing calls that are automated or use AI, and other calls used to trick people into joining WhatsApp groups, sharing personal information or taking part in scams. The Information Commission did not say how many of the complaints were about calls that used AI, or how many were about scams.
Andy Curry, Head of Investigations at the Information Commission, said:
The numbers we're seeing are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg. We know many people simply hang up and move on without reporting what happened.
Since April 2025, the Information Commission has issued 15 fines for nuisance calls and spam texts, totalling £2.37 million.
What it means for consumers
By law, a company can only play a recorded marketing message to someone who has agreed to it in advance. A company making live marketing calls must not call a number registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) unless the person has said it can, and must stop if asked.
The Information Commission advises people to:
- remember they do not have to answer calls from numbers they do not recognise, or that are withheld
- register their landline or mobile with the TPS, which is free
- report nuisance calls that keep coming, using the Information Commission’s online reporting tool
The Information Commission said fraud and scams should be reported to Report Fraud, or to Police Scotland in Scotland. Our guide explains how to stop nuisance calls.
What happens next
The Information Commission said it has live investigations under way into nuisance and scam calls. If it finds a company has broken the rules on marketing calls and texts, it can now fine it up to £17.5 million or 4% of its global turnover.