Scammers call you unexpectedly pretending to be from your bank, the police or another trusted organisation. They want to catch you off guard and claim that they are concerned about the safety of your accounts.
They will try and use a number of techniques, pressuring you into doing what they ask in order to gain access to your money.
Find out how these scams work and ways to protect yourself.
On this page:
Spot the signs of impersonation scams
Step 1: You receive an unexpected call
You receive an unexpected call from your bank, police or another trusted organisation.
They might use real names of people who work at the organisation that they have found on social media and might even call you on what appears to be your bank’s customer helpline.
Step 2: Scammer tricks you into believing them
The scammers might tell you that your account has been compromised and is no longer safe.
They want to make you feel stressed or scared so you act quickly, without suspicion.
Step 3: Scammer persuades you to move your money or share personal information.
The scammer might ask you to protect your account by moving your money to another to ‘keep it safe’. They may even ask you to go to a branch and take out cash to hand over to them.
Moving this money is a trap and would result in your money being sent to a bank account that is controlled by a criminal.
Some scammers may also trick you into providing your account details so they can access your account through our mobile app or online banking themselves.
Remember, never share one time passcodes (OTPs) or passwords with anyone who contacts you.
If a fraudster gets it, they can access your account and steal your money.
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Be wary of unexpected phone calls
Your bank or the police will never ask you to move your money out of your account to keep it safe or ask you to visit a branch and take out cash to hand over to them.
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Look out for alerts from us
If we suspect a fraudulent payment may be about to leave your account, we may text you to confirm if it is genuine or not first, before the payment can be made.
If you’re a mobile app user, we also alert you of any account changes such as a new device registering for mobile banking or a change of details so you can contact us if this was not you.
To make sure you get these alerts, check that push notifications are enabled. Open The Co-operative Bank app and select More > My Settings and details > Notifications > Notification settings. You will then be taken to your device’s settings where you can turn on our notifications.
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Do not feel pressurised by the urgency
Do not let the person on the phone pressurise you into giving your details quickly. If in any doubt, hang up and call the company back using their official number from their website.
If the caller claims to be from the bank or the police, put the phone down and call 159 where you will be safely routed through to our Fraud team.
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Never share one time passcodes (OTP)
Never share an OTP or PIN with anyone who contacts you, even if they claim to be from a reputable company or your bank.
Banks, the police and other organisations will never ask you to disclose your OTPs or any other personal information.
Learn more
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Take Five
Take Five offers straightforward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves from fraud.
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Common fraud threats
Find out more about common fraud threats and how to avoid them.