A NEW scam call filter is set to roll out to millions of UK smartphones in the coming weeks, Virgin Media O2 has announced.

The new feature aims to slash the number of calls customers receive from unknown numbers by naming the organisation making the call.

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It means the names of legitimate calls from unknown numbers will appear when your iPhone or Android is receiving a call.

And mystery callers - which could be spam or scams - will continue to go unnamed and most likely ignored by customers receiving the call.

People are most likely to hang up on calls from unknown numbers, according to research from US tech firm Hiya, which Virgin Media O2 has partnered with.

The new feature, dubbed Brand ID, will be able to name more that 150 UK businesses, including major banks and insurance firms.

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"As part of our relentless efforts to stop the scammers, we’re rolling out next-generation caller ID to provide our customers with reliable information about who is calling before they even pick up the phone," Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud at Virgin Media O2, said in a statement.

“By giving them confidence in who is calling and why, customers will be better able to spot fraudulent call attempts and ensure they’re only speaking to people and organisations they want to.

“With more than a hundred major UK businesses already signed up to the service, this free feature will help give our customers greater peace of mind.”

The feature is powered by Hiya's automated spam detection service that prevents suspected fraud calls.

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O2 pay-monthly and business customers will see the feature automatically appear on their devices over the coming months.

It will first roll out to Android smartphones, before making its way to iPhones.

“Offering a free anti-scam solution is the response that every carrier in Europe should be taking," Hiya President, Kush Parikh, added.

"It is the only way to ensure that all subscribers are protected without leaving coverage gaps that fraudsters can exploit."

SPAM BE GONE

It's not the first partnership between Virgin Media O2 and Hiya.

In February, the network provider announced that Hiya would be helping bring an adaptive AI to block known fraudulent callers.

O2 has promised to roll out this feature later this year.

Both spam-busting services run alongside Virgin Media O2’s existing fraud protection services.

This includes free firewall technology, which the company says blocked more than 89 million fraudulent texts from reaching customers in 2023.