Someone Called Pretending to Be My Bank — What Do I Do?

"We've noticed suspicious activity on your account." It's the most common opening line in UK bank-impersonation calls. In 2025, criminals used fake bank calls to steal millions from UK account holders — and the calls sound convincing because they already know your name, your bank, and sometimes the last few digits of your card.

Here's what to do — calmly, and in the right order.

How fake bank calls work

The caller claims to be from your bank, building society, or card provider and says something like:

  • "There's been unusual activity on your account"
  • "We need to verify a recent payment"
  • "Your card has been blocked — press 1 to reactivate"
  • "We're calling about a fraud on your account and need to move your money to a safe account"

The trick is urgency + authority. They want you to act before you think.

The 5 rules that protect you

  1. Your bank will NEVER ask you to move money to a "safe account". This is always a scam.
  2. Your bank will NEVER ask for your full PIN, password, or one-time code over the phone.
  3. Your bank will NEVER ask you to transfer money to a new account or buy gift cards to "reverse a fraud".
  4. If in doubt, hang up. A genuine bank won't mind you calling them back.
  5. Call back on a number you trust — the one on your card or statement — not the number the caller gives you.

What to do right now

  1. Hang up. Don't argue, don't answer questions, don't press any numbers.
  2. Wait at least 5 minutes (scammers sometimes stay on the line), then call your bank on the number on the back of your card or from their official app.
  3. Tell the bank what happened — they can check if it was genuinely them and flag your account.
  4. If you already gave away details or moved money, call your bank's fraud line immediately — the faster you report a transfer, the better the chance of recovery.
  5. Report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

I already gave them my details — what now?

  • Card or account details given? Call your bank's fraud team now — they can block the card and monitor the account.
  • One-time code given? Act fast — a code can be used to approve a payment or log into your app. Call your bank immediately.
  • Money transferred? Your bank has a legal duty to consider reimbursing APP fraud victims (under the new UK rules). Report immediately and ask for a "recall" of the transfer.
  • Changed anything? If you gave them passwords, change them on a different device.

Real-world example

"My bank called and said £900 was about to leave my account. They told me to move my money to a safe account while they 'fixed' it. I lost £2,300 before realising the 'bank' was the scammer."

Why it happened: the caller ID showed the bank's real number (spoofed), they knew the victim's name and address, and the panic did the rest. The rule is simple — your bank will never ask you to move your own money.

How to check if a call was genuine

  • Call the number on your card, statement, or official app — never the one they gave you
  • Ask the bank to confirm whether they made the call
  • Check your bank's official website for scam warnings
  • Report suspicious calls to your bank and to Action Fraud

The bottom line

A real bank will never pressure you, never ask for your codes, and never ask you to move money to a "safe account". If a call makes you panic — it's a scam. Hang up, call the real number, and report it.

Think a message or call might be a scam? Use the free CyberAware UK Phone Checker or Scam Checker, or browse our scam library.