A call from “your bank”? The safe account scam, and what 159 does

The caller knows your name and which bank you use. They say there is suspicious activity on your account, that a member of staff may be involved, and that your money has to be moved today to a new “safe account” they have set up for you. It is a well-worn script, and it has one tell that never changes.

How the call works

• Urgency. Your account is at risk right now, so there is no time to check.
• Credibility. They know your name, address or the last digits of your card. Those details are cheap; knowing them proves nothing.
• A familiar number. The caller ID may show your bank’s real number. Caller ID can be faked; see caller ID spoofing.
• Isolation. Do not tell the branch, a staff member there may be involved, keep this confidential.
• The ask. Move the money, read out a code, or install an app so they can “help”.

Stop, hang up, call 159

159 is a phone service run by the not-for-profit Stop Scams UK. It connects you to your own bank’s genuine fraud team, the way 101 reaches the police or 111 reaches the NHS. Stop Scams UK lists the banks that take part, including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, TSB, Monzo, Revolut and Starling, and the phone companies that carry it, including BT and EE, O2, Sky, Three, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Virgin Media. It is not free on every line: Stop Scams UK says the cost depends on your provider and is often the same as a national call.

If your bank is not on the list, hang up and ring the number on the back of your card. If you can, use a different phone; if not, wait at least 20 minutes before dialling, so you know you are starting a fresh call.

If you have already paid

• Call your bank immediately, on 159 or the number on your card. The faster they know, the more they can stop.
• Report it. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland that is Report Fraud, the service that replaced Action Fraud in December 2025, online or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
• Know your rights. Since 7 October 2024, the Payment Systems Regulator’s rules mean most people tricked into sending a UK bank transfer by Faster Payments or CHAPS should be reimbursed, up to £85,000, if they claim within 13 months. A bank may deduct an excess of up to £100, but not for vulnerable customers, and can refuse only if you were complicit or grossly negligent.

Check the number, then report it

A lookup shows what other people reported about the number that rang you, and which phone company its range belongs to. If the call was a scam, report it here so the next person sees it, and to Report Fraud so the police do. A number that shows your bank’s real switchboard is worth reporting too: it tells the next person that number is being faked.