With millions of Brits set to travel abroad and attend festivals, concerts and events across the UK this summer, mobile phones will play a key role in staying connected. However, increased usage during peak holiday periods also creates more opportunities for mobile fraud. Last year, Ofcom revealed that half of UK mobile users received a suspicious message between November 2024 and February 2025, while 100 million suspicious texts were reported to 7726, the UK’s free mobile spam reporting service. Here, SIM-only mobile provider spusu explains the most common mobile scams to look out for in 2026 and how consumers can stay protected.

Scams on the rise

Scammers follow behavioural patterns. So, during peak travel periods, when mobile messages from airlines, hotels and retailers become more frequent, it creates an easy opportunity to target consumers. This makes fraudulent texts and emails harder to spot quickly, especially when they appear to come from trusted brands.

With summer one of the busiest spending periods of the year, this allows fraudsters more opportunities to exploit usage around bookings, payments and account activity. In addition, public Wi-Fi use increases during travel, but unsecured networks can create more risks for users entering personal or payment information.

The most common summer mobile scams

Travel-related scams remain one of the most common forms of fraud, with Action Fraud data showing victims lost over £11 million to holiday fraud last year. Scammers frequently impersonate airlines, hotels and delivery firms, sending fake messages about cancelled flights, changed bookings, missing parcels or urgent payment verification requests designed to trigger fast action.

Another growing problem is festival ticket scams. Fake resale links and fraudulent ticket confirmations often circulate before major concerts and sporting events.

QR code scams have become frequent in public areas, with fraudsters placing fake QR codes on parking machines, restaurant menus or public transport signs, redirecting users to malicious websites designed to collect personal information. Last year Dorset Council had to alert residents and visitors after several fake QR code stickers were discovered on parking payment machines in the West Bay area. Instead of paying for parking, users unknowingly handed over their bank details.

How to identify fake messages and calls

One of the clearest warning signs to spot a scam is urgency. Scammers will frequently pressure people to act immediately by threatening account suspension or missed payments. It’s important to remember that legitimate companies will not use random mobile numbers or suspicious-looking web links in official communication.

Unexpected messages should always be verified independently. Rather than clicking links directly from texts or emails, users should access accounts through official apps or trusted websites.

Phone scams are becoming increasingly advanced with Caller ID spoofing, Ofcom research reveals that, in February 2025, two in five phone users said they received a suspicious call in three months. Caller ID spoofing can make fraudulent calls appear as genuine organisations or familiar numbers. If something feels unusual, it likely is. Pause before responding because a few seconds spent checking details can prevent significant financial loss.

Taking action

Scam links are designed to catch people off guard, so accidental clicks can happen easily. Disconnect from the internet immediately to reduce risk.

If no personal information has been entered, close the page and run a security scan on your device. If passwords or payment details have been shared, these should be changed straight away using official websites or apps. Most bank providers can monitor accounts for suspicious activity and help secure cards quickly. Suspicious text messages can be reported by forwarding them to 7726.

As mobile phones become more central to travel, entertainment and everyday spending, fraudsters continue to adapt their tactics to match modern consumer behaviour. From fake booking confirmations to fraudulent festival tickets, mobile scams are becoming more sophisticated each year.

However, many of these risks can be reduced through simple precautions. Verifying messages carefully and avoiding unsecured public Wi-Fi helps lower the chances of becoming a target. With summer travel and events soon to kick off, staying alert online is becoming just as important as protecting physical passports, wallets and bank cards.

For more information on SIM-only plans designed to keep you connected, visit the spusu website.