Premium-Rate Number Fraud
Deceptive use of high-charge phone numbers — typically 09xx or international equivalents — to extract money from callers who are unaware of the elevated cost.
Also known as: 090 number scam, premium phone scam, chargeable number fraud
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Premium-rate numbers are a legitimate service used for entertainment lines, directory assistance, and technical support, but fraudsters exploit them by inducing victims to call through deceptive means. Tactics include fake competition win notifications that require calling to claim a prize, bogus tech-support popups directing users to a chargeable number, employment scams that route interview callbacks to premium lines, and apps that silently dial out to premium numbers in the background.
Charges can be several pounds or dollars per minute, and many victims discover the fraud only when reviewing their phone bill at the end of the month. Regulatory bodies such as the UK's Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) and the US Federal Trade Commission oversee premium-rate services, and complaints can result in refunds and operator fines.
Consumers should check whether a number falls in a premium-rate range before calling, use a number-lookup service for unfamiliar callback numbers, and review itemised bills for unexplained charges. Many carriers allow customers to block premium-rate calls outright.