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0333 numbers
Charged at your standard geographic rate
General business non-geographic numbers charged at geographic rate.
Calls count towards your inclusive minutes in exactly the same way as a call to an 01 or 02 landline, so for most people they cost nothing extra.
0333 is a general-purpose UK business range charged at the standard landline rate. Banks, utilities and large retailers use it, and so do firms that make unsolicited marketing calls.
Are 0333 numbers free?
No. A 0333 call is charged at the same rate as an 01 or 02 landline call and is normally included in inclusive minutes. It is not a freephone number, so do not assume it costs nothing. If an organisation offers both an 0800 and a 0333 number, the 0800 one is the free option.
Why do so many businesses use 0333?
Unlike 0300, which is reserved for public bodies and charities, 0333 is open to any business. It is cheap to rent and gives a company a single national number. Searching for a company's customer service number often turns up a 0333 line, especially for banks and energy suppliers.
Unexpected 0333 call or text: what to do
An unknown 0333 number can be a genuine company, a sales call or a scam. The range tells you the call is charged like a landline, not who made it.
- Do not give out passcodes, PINs or full card details to someone who rang you.
- Hang up and call the organisation back on the number printed on your card, bill or its official website.
- If it is a text with a link, do not tap it. Forward the message to 7726, which is free on UK mobile networks.
How to check a 0333 number
Type the full number into the search box on this page. You will see how other people have rated it and what they were told on the call. If nobody has reported it yet, you can add the first report.