Scam messages
Fraudsters can copy texts or break into email accounts to send messages that pretend to be someone you know, like your bank or a supplier.
A scam message can appear alongside other texts or emails from an earlier chain.
The aim is to steal important details and money. If successful, it can do real damage to your business.
If your business uses email or text messages then it could be a target for fraudsters.
But if you and all your staff know how to spot a scam, it can help to keep your business safe.
Learn how to spot and avoid a scam message.
Tips to beat scam messages
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Check it’s genuine
Call us to check - If you’re not sure a text is from us, contact us to make sure. Or check your account online. If the text is from another person or company, call them on a number you trust to check. Never use a number from a message as this could be part of a scam.
Click with care
Only click a link if you know and trust the sender - Links can hide a virus that could attack your computer or phone.
Protect your details
Log on safely - We’ll never send you a text with a direct link to a page that wants you to log on or give personal or banking details. If you get a text like this, don’t reply. Just delete it.
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Check it’s genuine
Call the sender - If you’re not sure about an email, or if one arrives out of the blue, make sure it’s real. You can contact us or look at your online account to see if anything is wrong. If it came from a colleague, talk to them in person. To contact a company, use a number you trust, not one from a message. Ask if they sent the message.
Look at the address - Make sure the sender’s details are correct. Fraudsters often change a genuine email address so it looks similar, such as Lioyds and not Lloyds.
Click with care
Only click after you check it’s safe - Make sure you know and trust the sender. You can check their address or call them on a number you trust. Links and downloads can hide a computer virus. Or a link could take you to a fake website. If a site looks odd in any way, don’t use it. Contact us right away if you notice anything wrong with our site.
Double-check any changes
Before you pay an invoice - Make sure the payment details are correct. Call to check on a number you trust, not one from a message. Fraudsters can pretend to be someone else to change payment details, or to send an invoice. Learn more about invoice fraud.
Protect your details
Log on safely - We’ll never send you an email or a text with a direct link to a page that wants you to log on or give personal or banking details. If you get a message like this, it’s a scam. Delete it. Never reply to this kind of message.
If you think it’s a scam
Delete it - You don’t have to reply to an email or text, or click on any links. If it’s genuine, the sender will try to contact you again.
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If you get an email from us, there are many ways to tell if it's real or not.
We’ll always:
- Greet you by name - As in Mrs Smith
- Include part of your main account number - Or part of your postcode if you don't have an account number yet.
- Write to you in a reasonable and calm way - To try to trick you, scam messages may use warnings, threats of fraud or problems with your business account.
We’ll never send a message that:
- Asks for your banking or personal details.
- Tells you to move money to another account.
- Asks you to make a test payment online.
- Links directly to our Internet Banking logon page. Or a page that asks for your security or personal details.
You can also check our email address to spot a scam. It should end with lloydsbank.co.uk or lloydsbanking.com and never have another word in-between lloydsbank and .co.uk or .com.
This is a genuine email: name@mail.lloydsbank.co.uk
This is a scam email: name@lloydsbank.mail.co.uk
If you get a scam email, forward it to our fraud team:
Important Legal Information
Calls may be monitored or recorded in case we need to check we have carried out your instructions correctly and to help improve our quality of service.
The products and services outlined on this site may be offered by legal entities from across Lloyds Banking Group, including Lloyds Bank plc and Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc. Lloyds Bank plc and Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc are separate legal entities within the Lloyds Banking Group.
Lloyds Bank is a trading name of Lloyds Bank plc, Bank of Scotland plc and Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc. Lloyds Bank plc. Registered Office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales no.2065. Bank of Scotland plc. Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ. Registered in Scotland no. SC327000. Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc. Registered office 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales no. 10399850. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 119278, 169628 and 763256 respectively.
We adhere to The Standards of Lending Practice which are monitored and enforced by the LSB: www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk.
Eligible deposits with us are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). We are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Please note that due to FSCS and FOS eligibility criteria not all business customers will be covered.