Business Overdrafts
Be financially flexible with a business overdraft.
Scam calls
Fraudsters could call your business and pretend to be someone you trust, like your bank or a company you deal with.
The scam is to trick you into paying money to another account - their account.
Could you tell if it’s a scam call?
Fraudsters can copy a phone number so it looks genuine on your caller ID.
They can sound professional on a call and may know details about your business, such as the bank account number. All of this can help them to win your trust so that you do as they say.
This video shows how scam calls work and could help you to protect your business.
Tips to beat scam calls
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The following tips can help your business to beat fraud.
- Take your time - If a caller tries to hurry you into making a quick decision, it’s a sign of a scam. Never rush. A genuine caller won’t mind if you take your time. Fraudsters may ask you to 'keep it quiet' and not tell anyone about the call. Never trust anyone who asks you to do this.
- Download with care - Unless you called for help, never download anything to a work device for someone who phones up. Fraudsters use this trick to try to take control of a device to steal details and money.
- Keep your code private - Scam calls can ask for card reader codes. Never give these to a caller, no matter what they tell you. A code can give your OK for money to leave your business account.
- Log on safely - Unless you called for help, don’t log on to your computer or Internet Banking for a person who calls. And never tell a random caller what’s on your computer screen.
- Double-check changes - If a supplier or client calls to change their payment account details, you need to double-check. Call them back on a number you trust, not one from a call. Ask them to confirm the name, account number and sort code.
- If you’re not sure a call is genuine, hang up. To check if we called you, dial 159. This is a safe way to get in touch with us on a landline or mobile.
But if you need to report fraud, use the contact us page to find the right number.
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We’ll never call to tell you to move money to another account. And we’ll never call to ask for your:
- full banking details
- card reader codes
- password
- PIN or
- memorable information.
If you get a call like this, hang up.
A genuine caller won’t mind if you hang up. They’ll always find another way to contact you. Or you can contact them.
Always use a number you trust from your own records or a website, not one from a call.
Or you can call your Relationship Manager.
Fraudsters want you to talk so they can trick you into a scam. They hate it if you hang up. But that’s how you beat a scam call.
Make sure everyone at your business knows what to do.