So what can you do to keep clear of these scammers?
BT and the Trading Standards Institute are calling on Ofcom to take greater action against the misery and expense caused by mis-selling.
Scammers are targeting UK households using a number of different tactics, including 'slamming' - where a customer is switched from one telecoms provider to another without their knowledge.
What kind of scams are happening?
There are a number of ways in which dodgy salespeople trick consumers. For example, they might claim to be part of BT and request a signature or invite you to sign up for more information, when you're actually signing up for a service.
You might contact a company asking for more information and then find your service has been switched.
Other customers have tried to switch their broadband to a new provider, only to discover their phone services have been moved too.
It isn't just would-be new providers either. There have been instances of current suppliers cancelling their customers' orders to new companies.
And here at moneysupermarket.com, we've seen emails complaining of callers purporting to be from BT and demanding money for non-existent unpaid bills - even when the consumer isn't with BT.
What could Ofcom do?
BT and the Trading Standards Institute want the telecoms watchdog to create a new pin code system that would give consumers greater protection from rogue sellers.
It proposes that customers would only ever hand over their pin information when they were knowingly signing up for a service - they would know not to reveal it at any other time.
John Petter, managing director of BT's Consumer division, said: "We need to slam the slammers. The process we're proposing will put an end to mis-selling misery for good, protect consumers and safeguard fair competition. Ofcom's own data shows that a consumer protection pin code would eliminate mis-selling.
"It's criminal that this has been going on at this level for more than five years. I can't think of any other industry where this would be considered acceptable. It really is time that this was stamped out."
In the meantime
While BT and the Trading Standards Institute campaign for this greater protection, they have also published some tips to help people avoid mis-selling in the meantime.
Identity: Make sure you understand exactly which organisation the salesperson is representing, don't let them be vague.
Ask callers for their company name and demand to see an ID badge if anyone comes to your door.
Record: If you enter into a discussion with a salesperson, make sure you ask for their name and a contact number. Keep a written record of your conversations, and what time and date they took place.
Withhold: It is never appropriate for a seller to ask for your bank details in order to verify your identity - be exceptionally careful what information you give out.
Ask questions: Don't allow the salesperson to be unclear about what they're offering - make sure you ask for precise information about the cost.
If you need time to consider the service then don't allow them to rush you - ask for them to send you some more information.
Be clear: Make sure you're absolutely clear about the decision you've made, whether it is to buy a certain service, refuse it, or ask for more information.
I've been scammed, what can I do?
If you're one of the millions of people affected by such scammers, don't panic. You should still be able to cancel.
When your services are transferred to a new provider, Ofcom rules mean that you should receive a letter from both your current and new provider. You then have ten days in which to inform both companies that you don't want to go through with the transfer.
If it's been longer than ten days then you should complain to new phone company. If they fail to respond adequately, complain to an Alternate Dispute Resolution scheme such as Otelo or Cisas. Every telephone company belongs to one of the two and must tell you which.
Ofcom has an online complaints form you can use to make the watchdog aware of your problems.
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