Fraudsters commonly use internet calling technology to make a phone call or text appear as though it is originating from a genuine UK number.

Ofcom said this encourages the recipient to believe a call is legitimate, and means they are more likely to answer it, leaving them vulnerable to fraud,

Research by the regulator shows almost 45 million people were targeted by scam calls and texts this summer.

Lindsey Fussell, network and communications group director at Ofcom, said: “We’ve been working with telecoms companies to implement technical solutions, including blocking at source, suspicious international calls that are masked by a UK number.

“We expect these measures to be introduced as a priority, and at pace, to ensure customers are better protected.”