Phone phishing criminals strike UK bank customers
UK bank account customers are being warned to be aware of criminal gangs calling them and pretending to be their bank.
Criminals call claiming to be from the bank and say there has been suspicious activity and demand phone passwords.
Callers can be insistent and look to catch people unawares. They can also know your name.
Sarah from Chester received a call claiming to be from HSBC: "He was very forceful and asked to confirm my name, which he had.
"He also asked for the answer to my security question and my security code. He said it was urgent and he couldn't call back."
She added: "I only answered the phone because the number that came up was a UK landline number, and I thought it was my grandmother."
The number that called Sarah was listed in Darlington.
However, foreign criminals are able to route through unused UK numbers from abroad, explains HSBC.
A spokesperson said: "If you are not entirely convinced ask to call back.
"We will never ask you for your ID number and password, either on the phone or at the bank. You are the only person to know it."
He added: "You can report the call to us, but in reality phone phishers are almost impossible to trace.
"Thankfully it is rare people are taken in by phone phishers as people are now becoming more aware about giving out their details. There is a much heightened awareness to be careful."
The advice is for customers who have given their details away to call their bank immediately so new security arrangements can be set up.
HSBC says people that have given away details and lost money should receive compensation if they have not been excessively careless.
Sarah, however, remains concerned about how the criminals got hold of her name and telephone number, especially as she had recently changed her security details.
The British Bankers' Association (BBA) explains there have been cases of bank staff selling on information to criminals - but institutions come down hard on anyone caught and always bring in the police.
A spokesperson urged people to be more vigilant with their personal details, never letting cards out of their sight and shredding statements from banks.
"What customers do not realise is that these people are career criminals," she said.
"They make a living out of getting your details."
Daniel Barnes
- Tags:
- bank accounts ,
- news ,
- phishing
Comments
Newsletter sign up