Scam calls
This is the most common type of scam and can happen to anyone.
But it’s easy to avoid if you know how to spot the tell-tale signs.
A scam call is when a fraudster calls up and pretends to be us or someone else you may trust.
Fraudsters want you to move your money to another account - their account.
To do this, they’ll lie and say things like:
- There’s a problem with your account or it’s at risk from fraud.
- You’re due a refund or have internet problems.
- They need your help to catch criminals.
- The bank is trying to steal your money or are issuing fake notes.
- You owe money to HMRC.
They can copy our telephone number so it looks genuine on your caller ID. And they can even sound professional on a call.
Tips to beat scam calls
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If a caller tries to hurry you into making a quick decision, it’s a sign of a scam.
Don’t 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.
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Unless you called for help, never download anything to your device for a phone call.
Fraudsters use this trick to try to take control of your device to steal details and money.
If you need to download a file or programme, only use a trusted source.
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You should never have to log on to your computer or Internet Banking for someone who calls out of the blue. We’ll never call to ask for your log on details.
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You can get straight forward, impartial advice on how to avoid scams from Take Five.
You can report a crime or get general advice from Action Fraud. They help banks and other companies combat fraud.
They offer advice on how to keep yourself and your devices safe from fraud.
UK Finance is there to support customers and to help make sure it's safe to bank.
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
The PRA is part of the Bank of England. Their role is to make sure banks act safely and reduce the chance of them losing money.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
The FCA is there to make sure banks work well so customers are protected and get a fair deal.
CIFAS can help to protect your identity. They can stop fraudsters from using your details to apply for things in your name.
This is a government site that gives advice on how to stay safe online.
This is part of the FCA site. You can use it to check on an investment or pension deals to help you avoid scams.
Lloyds Bank does not control the content of third party websites linked to on this page.
Lloyds Bank will never ask you to:
- Share your account details like user ID, password and memorable information.
- Tell us your Personal Security Number (PSN) for Telephone Banking.
- Tell us your PIN code or card expiry date.
- Move money to another account.
Important legal information
Lloyds Bank plc. Registered office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales No. 2065. Lloyds Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 119278.
Eligible deposits with us are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). We are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
Personalisation. We will always greet you personally using your Title and Surname. We will never use ‘Dear User’ or ‘Dear Valued Customer’. Where you hold an existing account with us, we will quote the last four digits of your account number, such as your current account, savings account or credit card. If you don’t yet have an account with us but we have your postal address details, we may use part of your postcode. Internet Banking-related emails may also include your Internet Banking User ID.
Links. All links within our emails will go to a page on www.lloydsbank.com, or to trusted Government regulatory websites (e.g. Financial Ombudsman, Financial Conduct Authority, etc). Research emails may take you to a partner research company website but you will not be asked for any Internet Banking log on details.
In fraudulent emails, website addresses may appear genuine on first sight, but if you hover your mouse over the link without clicking, it may reveal a different web address. On our genuine emails the link address always starts with email.lloydsbank.com or www.lloydsbank.com. We will never link direct through to our Internet Banking log on page or to a page that asks for your security or personal details.