03/08/2026
Did you know that fraudsters can (and do) ‘spoof’ phone numbers? 📞 This means they can make a phone call appear as if it’s come from your bank, a utility company, the police – anything that fits with the scam they are trying to pull off.
Often, the fraud will involve the criminal claiming to be from an organisation, spoofing that organisation’s real number, and then encouraging their would-be victim to search for the number if they want reassurance that they are who they say they are.
👮♂️ These cases of number spoofing can include the police – for instance, old landline numbers for stations including an 01656 or 01792 number.
And last month, a fraudster operating in Kent who was behind a sophisticated scam that mimicked banks’ phone numbers to dupe victims out of almost £300,000 was jailed.
Those affected in that case were told there had been fraudulent transactions which had comprised their finances, before being persuaded to make payments to third parties or provide access directly to their accounts. As well as phone calls appearing to be from banks, the scam included texts and automated messages similar to those used by other legitimate financial institutions.
ℹ️ The advice is not to automatically trust the name or number on your phone display. If you receive a call, don’t give out sensitive information, and don’t follow any instructions given to you – for instance, from anyone who asks you to transfer money or to buy gift cards.
⏲️ To check whether a company has called you, wait five to 10 minutes and call them on a number you know is verified (for instance by checking the back of your bank card). To be even more assured that the scammers are not still on the line, try and call from a different phone.
🤝 Please ask neighbours and relatives to be alert to such calls too.
🚨 If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, contact Fraud. You can also contact your local police.
🏦 And then there’s 159 – call this number and you will be connected to your bank’s fraud department, which gives you the option to check whether a call was genuine or a scam.
