The bank “safe account” scam
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Someone calls from your bank's fraud team, the police or your phone company. They know your name, maybe part of your card number, and the number on your screen may even look like your bank's. They say your account has been hacked, or that someone at your branch is stealing, and you must move your savings to a new “safe account” today. The safe account belongs to the scammer.
What it looks like
This is the Acorn Bank fraud team. We've stopped a suspicious payment, but your account is still at risk. To protect your savings we'll set up a safe account for you. Please don't tell branch staff: the investigation is confidential.
A made-up example. Every name, number and link here is fictional.
The tell
A real bank never asks you to move money to protect it, and never tells you to keep secrets from bank staff. A “safe account” always belongs to the scammer.
Other signs
- It has to happen now, on this call.
- You're told not to tell anyone, or what to say if the bank asks why you're moving money.
- The number on your screen looks right. Caller numbers can be faked.
- They already know some of your details. Scammers buy leaked data.
- They ask you to read out a code, or to install an app “for security”.
What to do
- Hang up. Then call your bank on the number on the back of your card (or 159 in the UK), ideally from a different phone, or wait five minutes first.
- Never move money because a caller told you to, however official they sound.
- Never install a screen-sharing app for someone who called you.
If you already replied, tapped or paid
- Call your bank straight away, on the number on your card (or 159 in the UK). Banks can sometimes stop or recover a payment if they hear quickly.
- Change any password you typed in, on the real site, and turn on two-step sign-in.
- Report it (below), and keep the messages and receipts.
- Be careful of anyone who then offers to get your money back for a fee. That is a second scam.
- Don't feel ashamed. Scams are written by professionals and fool careful people every day.
Report it
- In the UK: forward scam texts free to 7726, and scam emails to [email protected].
- Report fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040 (in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101).
- Elsewhere: your country's police or consumer protection service.
Sources
The advice here follows these official UK pages:
Practise spotting it
In Scam Town you get letters, texts and calls like these, decide which are real, and see the tell after every answer. You can also build scams yourself from ready-made pieces, which is the fastest way to learn how they work. It's free and plays in your browser.
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