Use this guide when you receive an unexpected request to pay, change bank details, move money or share a code, whether by phone, text, email or social media. Have your bank's official phone number from your card or statement ready and do not use any number in the message.
Step by step
Stop and do not act straight away
Scammers rely on urgency, fear or excitement. Do not click links, reply, or make any payment while you check. A genuine organisation will not mind you taking time to verify.
Look for the warning signs
Be suspicious of requests to move money to a safe account, pay by bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency, or share one-time passcodes. Watch for changed bank details for a bill, messages from a new number claiming to be a family member, and offers that seem too good to be true. Your bank and the police will never ask you to move money to keep it safe.
Verify through a trusted route
Contact the person or organisation using a number or address you already have, such as the number on your card, a previous invoice or their official website found independently. For your bank, you can dial 159 to be connected to many UK banks securely. Never use contact details given in the suspicious message.
Report the message
Forward suspicious texts to 7726, the free spam reporting service. Report scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre's suspicious email reporting service, and report scam adverts or profiles on the platform where you saw them. Then delete the message.
If you have already paid, call your bank now
Call your bank immediately using the number on your card and tell them you have been the victim of a scam. The faster you act, the better the chance of stopping or recovering the payment. Ask about reimbursement for authorised push payment scams and note your reference number.
Report the fraud and secure your accounts
Report the scam to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud), the national fraud and cyber crime reporting service, or to Police Scotland by calling 101 if you live in Scotland. Change passwords for any accounts you may have exposed and turn on two-step verification. Be wary of follow-up calls offering to recover your money for a fee, as these are often a second scam.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Paused before acting
- Warning signs checked
- Contact verified through a trusted number
- Suspicious text forwarded to 7726
- Bank called immediately if money was sent
- Scam reported to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) or police
- Passwords changed
- Two-step verification turned on
Practical tips
- Agree a family code word so you can check if a message really comes from a relative.
- When paying someone new by bank transfer, send a small test amount after confirming the details by phone.
- Take screenshots of scam messages before deleting them in case your bank or the police need them.
Common problems
A supplier emailed to say their bank details have changed.
Do not pay the new account until you have called the supplier on a number you already had. Invoice redirection fraud is common and uses real-looking emails. Once confirmed, update the details and keep a note of who confirmed it.
I shared a one-time passcode with a caller.
Call your bank straight away using the number on your card and tell them. They can block transactions and secure your account. Change your online banking password and check recent transactions.
My bank says it will not refund me.
Ask the bank to explain its decision in writing and make a formal complaint. If you are not satisfied with the final response, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge. Citizens Advice can help you with the process.