<p>UK Finance is the collective voice for the banking and finance industry. Representing more than 250 firms across the industry, we act to enhance competitiveness, support customers and facilitate innovation.</p>
<ol><li>Figures are based on data provided to UK Finance by all 45 police forces across the UK participating in the Banking Protocol scheme. </li>
<li>Case studies on use of the Banking Protocol are available on request. Please contact <a href="mailto:press@ukfinance.org.uk">press@ukfinance.org.uk.</a></li&gt;
<li>The Banking Protocol was developed in partnership between UK Finance, National Trading Standards and law enforcement. It was first trialled by the London Metropolitan Police in October 2016 and has been operational across all police forces of the UK since March 2018. 52 payment service providers, including all the main high street banks and the Post Office, are now fully signed up to the scheme and have trained their front-line branch staff in the steps that need to be taken when a customer is at risk. Upon spotting the warning signs that suggest someone may have fallen for a scam, branch staff will make an emergency call to the police. Police will then visit the branch to investigate the suspected fraud and arrest any suspects still on the scene.</li>
<li>The expansion of the scheme to telephone and online banking enables staff working in call centres and in online banking teams to notify police when attempted bank transfers are being made which they believe may be the result of a scam. Customers using telephone or online banking are first asked by the bank or building society to visit their local branch to enable branch staff to carry out additional checks and use the Banking Protocol if necessary. However, if the customer is unable to visit their branch, for example if they are vulnerable or have a disability, staff would be able to directly alert the local police who will make a visit to the customer?s home and assess whether they have fallen victim to a scam.</li>
<li>It forms part of a range of measures introduced by the banking and finance industry to protect customers from fraud and scams, including:</li>
</ol><ul><li>Investing in advanced security systems to protect customers, including real-time transaction analysis, behavioural biometrics on devices and technology to identify the different sound tones that every phone has and the environment that they are in.</li>
<li>Working closely with the government and law enforcement to tackle fraud through a national Economic Crime Plan, including regularly exchanging information and coordinating responses to emerging threats such as scams linked to Covid-19.</li>
<li>Sponsoring a specialist police unit, the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU), which tackles the organised criminal groups responsible for financial fraud and scams. In 2020, the unit prevented almost £20 million of fraud, disrupted 26 organised crime groups (OCGs), arrested 122 suspected criminals, and secured 54 convictions.</li>
<li>Introducing a voluntary code to better protect customers and reduce the occurrence of authorised push payment (APP) fraud. The code became effective for signatory firms on 28 May 2019.</li>
<li>Helping customers stay safe from fraud and spot the signs of a scam through the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign. 30 major banks and buildings societies have signed up to the new Take Five Charter, bringing the industry together to give people simple and consistent fraud awareness advice. </li>
<li>The <a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftakef… Five to Stop Fraud campaign</a> urges consumers to remember that criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police. If you believe you?ve fallen for a scam, contact your bank immediately on a number you know to be correct, such as the one listed on your statement, their website or on the back of your debit or credit card. Report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk. If you are in Scotland, please report to Police Scotland directly by calling 101 or Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000.</li>
<li><strong>Stop:</strong> Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.</li>
<li><strong>Challenge:</strong> Could it be fake? It?s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.</li>
<li><strong>Protect:</strong> Contact your bank immediately if you think you?ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.</li>
</ul><p><strong>FRAUD AWARENESS ADVICE </strong> </p>
<p><strong>ROMANCE SCAMS </strong></p>
<p>WHAT ARE THEY? </p>
<p>You?re convinced to make a payment to a person you?ve met either through social media or on a dating website. Fake profiles are used by criminals in an attempt to build a relationship with you ? this is often known as catfishing. Criminals use information found on social media to create fake identities to target you with a scam, looking for profiles that say you?re ?widowed? or ?divorced?. </p>
<p>HOW TO SPOT A ROMANCE SCAM? </p>
<ul><li>You?ve met someone online and they declare strong feelings for you after a few conversations</li>
<li>They suggest moving the conversation away from the dating website or social media to a more private channel such as email, phone or instant messaging</li>
<li>Their profile on the internet dating website or their Facebook page isn?t consistent with what they tell you</li>
<li>There are spelling and grammar mistakes, inconsistencies in their stories and they make claims such as their camera isn?t working</li>
<li>They refuse to Skype, or video call/meet you in person</li>
<li>Photos generally tend to be stolen from other people</li>
</ul><p>ALWAYS REMEMBER </p>
<ul><li>Avoid sending money to someone you?ve never met in person</li>
<li>Research the person you?re talking to as profile photos may not be genuine</li>
<li>Be alert to spelling and grammar mistakes and inconsistencies in stories</li>
<li>Stay on the dating site or on the messaging service until you?re confident the person is who they say they are and meetings in person take place in public</li>
<li>Always consider the possibility of a scam</li>
<li>Only accept friend requests from people you know and trust</li>
</ul><p><strong>ROGUE TRADER SCAMS </strong></p>
<p>WHAT ARE THEY: </p>
<ul><li>A cold-caller may offer you a service you don?t really need. They may claim to have noticed something about your property that needs work or improvement, such as the roof, and offer to fix it for cash or an inflated price.</li>
</ul><p>HOW TO SPOT A ROGUE TRADER/DOORSTEP SCAM </p>
<ul><li>Someone knocks on your door that you weren?t expecting warning that there?s a problem with your roof or driveway that needs to be fixed without delay</li>
<li>You?re asked to make a payment upfront in order for work to be carried out</li>
<li>You?re convinced to go to your bank branch and withdraw money whilst they set up</li>
<li>Additional problems are identified for which additional money is needed immediately</li>
</ul><p>ALWAYS REMEMBER </p>
<ul><li>Never disclose your PIN or let anyone persuade you to hand over your bank card, financial information or withdraw cash.</li>
<li>Don?t feel pressured. Don?t agree to hand over money at the door. Take time to think about it and talk to someone you trust.</li>
<li>Only let someone in if you're expecting them or they're a trusted friend, family member or professional. Don?t feel embarrassed about turning someone away.</li>
<li>Check their credentials. You should always check someone's credentials - a genuine person won't mind. You can phone the company they represent or check online, but never used contact details they give you.</li>
<li>Take the time to think about any offer, even if it?s genuine. Don?t be embarrassed to say ?No? or ask them to leave.</li>
<li>Call 999 if you feel threatened or in danger. Call the police non-emergency number 101 if you?re not in immediate danger but want to report an incident.</li>
</ul><p><strong>COURIER SCAMS </strong></p>
<p>WHAT ARE THEY </p>
<ul><li>You?re contacted by phone from someone purporting to be a police officer or someone from your bank. The caller might be able to confirm some easily obtainable information about you such as your full name and address.</li>
<li>They may offer a phone number for you to call which in some cases matches the number on the back of your bank card to give the impression that the call is genuine. The number offered is not genuine or, where a genuine number is suggested, the criminal will keep the line open and pass you to a different individual in order to validate the scam.</li>
<li>If the caller is from a bank, they may say their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment on your card or it is due to expire and needs to be replaced.</li>
<li>They may try to offer you peace of mind by having somebody pick up your card to save you the trouble of having to go to your bank or local police station.</li>
<li>They may offer to send a courier to collect your bank card and ask you to write down your PIN and place it in a separate envelope that that you of your card.</li>
</ul><p>HOW TO SPOT A COURIER SCAM </p>
<ul><li>You?re convinced to co-operate in an investigation by attending your bank and withdrawing money to hand over to a police officer/courier which will be returned once the investigation is complete.</li>
<li>You?re convinced to withdraw foreign currency from an exchange to aid an investigation with a promise of reimbursement.</li>
<li>You?re told to purchase expensive items that you?ll be asked to hand to a courier for examination with a promise of a reimbursement once the investigation is complete.</li>
<li>You?ll be told that some money has been removed from your bank account and that corrupt staff at your local bank branch are responsible.</li>
<li>You?re advised that someone at the branch has already been arrested but the ?police? need you to withdraw your money for evidence.</li>
<li>You?re told that a business, such as a jeweller or currency exchange, is operating fraudulently and they require assistance to help secure evidence.</li>
</ul><p>ALWAYS REMEMBER </p>
<ul><li>Your bank or the police will never call you to ask you to verify your personal details or PIN by phone or offer to pick up your card by courier. Hang up, wait a few minutes and call your bank on a number you know to be genuine, such as the one on the back of your card.</li>
<li>The police will not contact you out of the blue to participate in an investigation in which you need to withdraw money from your bank or to purchase high value goods for safe keeping.</li>
</ul><p>Your bank will never send a courier to your home to collect your card and PIN therefore any requests to do so are a scam.</p>