159 is the UK's national fraud hotline, run by Stop Scams UK and launched in 2021. An operator asks which bank you want, then puts you through to that bank's real switchboard - the same place the number on the back of your card would take you. It is free to call from most UK landlines and mobiles.

I gave my details to a scammer after a call. What should I do?

Call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card, their official app or 159. Ask them to freeze the account and check for new payees or standing orders. Then report it to Action Fraud.

How to Check a Bank Call Is Genuine — and the 159 Number That Does It

Q: Can 159 be spoofed?

No. 159 is not a bank's number and it is not a number you can be called from - it only works when you dial it yourself. That is what makes it reliable at a time when caller ID can be faked.

Q: Does 159 stop scam calls?

No. 159 verifies that you are speaking to your real bank. It does not prevent a scam call from arriving in the first place, and MoneySavingExpert notes it may not deter sophisticated scammers. Use it alongside the habit of never trusting a number a caller gives you.

Q: Which banks and providers does 159 cover?

Around 21 banking and building society brands take part, covering roughly 99 per cent of the UK market, including Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds, Monzo, Nationwide, NatWest, Revolut and Santander. It also reaches some phone providers, including BT, O2, Sky, Three, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Virgin.

A bank calls. The number looks right. They know your name, they mention a payment you don't recognise, and they're asking you to confirm a few details. Somewhere in the back of your mind, a small voice asks whether this is really your bank.

That question is the most valuable instinct you own. This page is about the one number that answers it.

First, a note about us

MoneySavingExpert's stop scams guide now lists CyberAware UK alongside Take Five and HSBC as a place to keep up with the latest scams. We're a small team, and it's a genuine compliment to be named next to organisations doing that work. We mention it here for one reason: it tells you where this advice sits, and it's a guide worth reading in full.

The number is 159

If you get a call from someone claiming to be your bank, and you are not certain it is genuine, hang up and dial 159.

You do not look the number up. You do not press redial. You dial 159 and nothing else.

An operator asks which bank you want, and puts you through to that bank's real switchboard — the same place the number on the back of your card would take you, without you having to find it while a caller is still on the line.

Why it works when other numbers don't

Most phone numbers can be faked. A scammer can make their call appear to come from your bank's real number, which is exactly why "check the number that called you" is no longer enough.

159 cannot be spoofed. It is not a bank's number and it is not a number you can be called from — it only works when you dial it yourself. That single property removes the fraudster's main advantage.

The service is run by Stop Scams UK, launched in 2021. Around 21 banking and building society brands take part, which covers roughly 99 per cent of the UK market, including Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds, Monzo, Nationwide, NatWest, Revolut and Santander. It also reaches some phone providers, including BT, O2, Sky, Three, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Virgin.

How to use it in the moment

Do not stay on the line. End the call. A genuine bank will not mind, and a fraudster will push you to keep talking.
Dial 159 — or use the number on the back of your card, or the one inside your bank's official app. Never a number the caller gave you.
Tell your bank what happened. Ask them to check the call was genuine, and to note it on your account.
If you already gave details away, call your bank straight away and ask them to freeze the account. The first hour matters most.

What 159 does not do

We would rather be straight with you than oversell it. 159 verifies that you are speaking to your real bank. It does not stop a scam call from arriving in the first place, and MoneySavingExpert notes it may not deter sophisticated scammers.

So use it alongside the habits that actually break these scams:

A real bank never asks you to move money to a "safe account". That phrase alone means fraud.
A real bank never asks for your full PIN, your password, or a one-time code.
Urgency is the fraudster's tool. Real problems survive a ten-minute check.

Where to go next

If you want to check a message, a number or a website before acting, our free tools are here:

Every bank alert, scam warning and dark web update we publish is on the daily brief.

Learn 159. Then tell someone who needs it — a parent, a neighbour, the person in your family who answers every call.

Stay safe.