Fraud

APP fraud happens when someone is tricked into authorising a payment through their bank account to a fraudster posing as a genuine payee either directly or through a third party. The scammers use different techniques to gain the trust of customers and this type of fraud is increasing.

If at any point of a banking transaction you are unsure or feel concerned, please stop and call your private banking team or Relationship Manager or contact the Private Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 600 or the Racing Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 543.

Fraudsters are making calls pretending to be from the police or your bank. The calls can be very convincing, often pretending that fraud has happened on your account to cause panic. Caller ID is not a reliable source, as this can be easily changed to look like a genuine number. Be wary of any caller asking you to transfer funds to a ‘safe account’, or for your full passwords or PIN, or to provide your card to a courier who will call at your house. Weatherbys Bank will never ask you to do any of the above.

If in any doubt, please speak to your private banking team or Relationship Manager as soon as possible or contact the Private Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 600 or the Racing Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 543, preferably from a different phone as landlines can remain connected for a number of seconds after the handset has been replaced. Calls are answered 24/7

Fraudsters have been sending fake emails for a number of years. The aim is to get you to click on a link, which will either direct you to a fake website that looks like a genuine company and then ask for your card details, or may install malware on your device. These emails have vastly improved in quality and can be very difficult to spot. They will pretend to come from well-known institutions, such as banks, HMRC, utilities and retailers.

Fraudsters are sending text messages that can look like they have been sent by genuine companies, such as Weatherbys, HMRC, British Airways even your child’s school. The texts can appear in the same text thread as genuine messages, making it very difficult to spot fake ones. The aim is to get the reader to click on a link as with fake emails, which will either direct the reader to a fake website that looks like a genuine company asking for your card details or install malware on your device. If you are concerned you may have provided your bank details to a fraudster, please speak to your private banking team or Relationship Manager as soon as possible or contact the Private Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 600 or the Racing Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 543 so we can protect your account

Be cautious about the sites you visit. There are thousands of websites out there that provide false information and that might redirect you to malicious links, giving hackers access to your most valuable data. If you spot a great online offer which is “too good to be true”, you might be tempted to say “yes” instantly. To prevent this have antivirus software and a firewall installed on your computer and keep it up to date.

Whether you are using an Apple or Android phone, there are proactive measures you can take to safeguard against the unfortunate event of a stolen phone. We have put together step-by-step guides to assist you with taking the relevant steps to keep yourself protected, as well as providing guidance on what actions to take should you become a victim of phone theft.

Weatherbys Private Bank – Protecting yourself from phone theft

Weatherbys Racing Bank – Protecting yourself from phone theft

It is also important to note, while this article focuses on phones, the same protective measures can be applied to other devices, such as tablets.