Is a call claiming I am registered on a do-not-call list and need to update my details a scam?
Yes. Legitimate do-not-call registries do not call you to verify or update your registration. Any such call is data harvesting or fraud.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) in the UK and the National Do Not Call Registry (DNC) in the US allow consumers to opt out of unsolicited sales calls. Scammers exploit awareness of these registries by calling and claiming you are 'due for renewal', that your registration has lapsed, or that you need to verify your number — and asking you to confirm personal details such as your name, address, and date of birth. The TPS and DNC never call you. Your registration either expires without notice or renews automatically and is managed entirely through their websites. Providing personal details to such callers feeds identity theft operations.
The scam inverts the registry's entire purpose — a service that exists so you hear from fewer strangers becomes the pretext for a stranger's call. That inversion is the tell, and it generalises: any inbound call whose premise is managing, renewing, or protecting something you registered for is asking you to verify your identity to someone who called you, which is backwards. Identity flows the other way — you verify organisations by contacting them through published channels; they do not harvest your details on calls they initiated.
Common red flags
- Caller says you are registered on a preference service and need to update your details
- Personal information requested over the phone including name, date of birth, or address
- Claim that your registration has lapsed and you must re-register now or pay a fee
- Any unsolicited call offering to add you to a do-not-call list for a fee
What to do now
- Hang up without providing any personal details
- Register or check your registration directly through the official TPS or FTC websites
- Report the call to your national communications regulator
- Block the number to prevent repeat contact
Frequently asked questions
Does registering on the TPS or DNC stop all unwanted calls?
It reduces calls from legitimate UK and US businesses required to comply with the registry, but scammers and overseas callers are not deterred. Caller ID blocking and call-screening apps provide additional protection.
What details are safe to give an unsolicited caller?
None that they could not already know. Confirming your name, date of birth, address, or bank alongside your live phone number assembles exactly the profile identity fraud needs. If a call has any legitimate basis, it survives you hanging up and contacting the organisation through published channels.