Consumers are being warned to look out for automated phone calls pretending to be from their bank/building society or card company.
Victims have received automated phone calls claiming to be from their bank saying there’s been a suspicious transaction on their account. They are then asked to verify the transaction by pressing a number on their phone to take them through to an ‘agent’ who is actually a fraudster.
Fraudsters may already have some information about you, so don’t take this as confirmation that their approach is genuine.
The five warning signs to look out for during a phone call, which suggest that the caller could be a scammer:
- The caller is insistent and doesn’t give you time to think or tries to stop you speaking to a family member or friend.
- The caller asks you to transfer money to a different account
- The caller asks for your online banking passwords or four-digit card PIN
- The caller asks you to withdraw money and hand it over for ‘safekeeping’.
- The caller offers to send a courier to your home to collect cash, PINs, cards or cheque books to ‘protect’ you from fraud.
If you feel uncomfortable or suspicious during a call, hang up and call your bank/building society directly on its official phone number.
Ipswich Building Society will not use automated telephone calls to contact you, so should you receive such a call you should put the phone down straight away.
Any fraudulent attempts should be reported to Action Fraud.
