Be eware of au utomated ph hone call ba ank scam
Follow wing warnings of a spike in new sscams, look out for automated phone e calls from criminals posing as a repr resentative of your bank or card comp pany.
Ban nking trade association, UK Finan nce, has received dozens of report ts over the past week involving autom mated calls from fraudsters.
Vict tims receive an automated phone e call claiming to be from their bank oor card provider, saying there has be een a suspicious transaction on their aaccount.
The ey are then asked to verify the transa action by pressing a number on the eir phone to take them through to an “agent” – who is actually a frauds ster.
Katy y Worobec, UK Finance’s manag ging director of economic crime, said: “It is crucial l that people remain n vigilant and qu uestion any phone calls out of the blu ue, even if they st tate there has been frraud on your accoun nt.
“Frau udsters may already y have some inform mation about you, so o don’t take this as confirmation that the eir approach is genuine.
“Nev ver give out any personal inform ation if you are at all suspici ous. Instead stop and think, and the en contact your bank directly on a nu umber that you can trust.”
Warn ning signs to look out for include e:
The callerc doesn’t give you time to think k, tries to stop you speaking to a fam mily member or friend, or is insist tent and makes you feel uncomf fortable.
The callerc asks you to transfer money to a new account for fraud reasons s.
They ask for your 4-digit card PIN or onlin ne banking password. Even if they ask a you to give it to them by tapping g into the telephone keypad rather th han saying the numbers out loud, it’s s a scam.
They aska you to withdraw money to hand ov ver to them for safekeeping.
They maym claim you have fell victim to fraud and offer to send a courier to your hom me to collect your cash, PIN, paymen nt card or cheque book. Banks or police e would never call you asking for your online banking password or for you to t transfer money to a new account .