Ofcom has issued new guidance to victims of phone fraud.
The advice comes after figures revealed 45 million people have been hit by suspicious messages or calls in the past three months - as Birmingham Live reports.
Throughout the pandemic, there was an increase in fraudulent messages asking people for delivery fees as there was a rise in people getting packages sent to their homes during the lockdown.
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Another phone scam that arose during this period was a message containing a link to a fake Government website promising Covid cash support or tax refunds.
The scam messages were designed to access people's payment information and Ofcom has provided three simple things people should do if they are targeted by fraudsters.
Ofcom estimate around half of recipients will just delete the fraudulent message. However, this will not stop further texts from arriving in the future so the advice is to keep the message as it can be used to investigate further.
Three steps if you receive a suspicious text
1. Stop! The text could be a scam. Read carefully and look for any details that don't seem right.
2. Don't click on any links or give out any personal or bank details.
3. Report any suspicious texts to 7726 and make your friends and family aware too. Simply forward the text to that number and it is directed to the mobile provider. These numbers can then be investigated and potentially blocked if found to be a persistently rogue number – helping to flush out fraudsters and prevent more people from being exposed to scam attempts.
Ofcom says it has worked with telecoms operators to tackle scams and nuisance calls for several years but is concerned about the significant rise in scam calls and texts over the last 18 months.
Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom's Networks and Communications Group Director, said: "Criminals who defraud people using phone and text scams can cause huge distress and financial harm to their victims, and their tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
"We are working closely with industry, police, Government and other regulators to ensure strong actions are in place to tackle the threat posed by scam texts and calls. Ofcom is supporting industry's work to develop technical solutions, while also raising awareness of the steps people can take to protect themselves."
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