Phone scams (vishing)

Phone scams (AKA vishing) are fake calls from scammers claiming to be from your bank, building society, or organisations like telecom providers and HMRC. They may use your full name, a number you recognise, or mention personal details to convince you that you’re speaking to a genuine caller.

Fake callers sometimes claim that you’ve been the victim of fraud and urge you to share confidential information, like your PIN or passwords, to prove your identity. They may then use these details to access your bank account or demand that you make an immediate payment to their accounts to resolve a problem.

Phone scams are, unfortunately, much more common than you’d think. Here are some other tell-tale signs that the person you’re talking to, is not who they say they are:

• they claim to be from the police, your bank, or a company you already know
• the caller is insistent, demanding and urges you to act now
• they ask you to withdraw money or make threats
• they might ask you to move money or share passwords and security details – like one-time passcodes, secure key digits, and e-wallet registration codes as proof of your identity
• they may say they’re calling because you’ve been a victim of fraud – and they can even use a phone number you recognise.

We tend to think of scams as something that happens to other people. In reality, anyone can be a target, so it's important to stay alert.

There are lots of things we do to protect you, but learning about common scams and the tactics criminals use can help you spot when something's not right, including:

• remember your bank will never ask for your PIN or password
• your bank will never ask you to move money to a safe account
• don’t trust caller ID – scammers can mimic the numbers you know
• if in doubt, hang up and call your bank back using the number on the back of your card to confirm
• scammers can fake a dial tone and even listen in when you make your next call, so wait at least 10 seconds after hanging up before phoning your bank
• to be absolutely certain, it’s better if you use a different phone, or try ringing a friend first to check the line is clear.

If you think you've been the victim of any scam, it's important to call us straightaway. Call 03 456 100 100 (lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year).

You should also report it to Action Fraud Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first].

You can also check out the government-backed campaign Take Five Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first], for more tips on protecting yourself against financial fraud.