Scam calls

Be Aware of fraudster calls

Fraudsters could call your business and pretend to be someone you trust, like your bank or a company you deal with.

The scam is to trick you into paying money to another account - their account.

If in doubt, hang up

If in doubt, hang up

Stop and think - is that phone call genuine? If you’re not sure, hang up. Contact us right away to report a scam.

Contact us now

Could you tell if it’s a scam call?

Fraudsters can copy a phone number, so it looks genuine on your caller ID. 

They can sound professional on a call and know details about your business, like the bank account number. These may help a fraudster to win your trust and convince you to do as they say.

This video shows how scam calls work and could help you to protect your business.

Tips to beat scam calls

  • The following tips can help your business to avoid scams.

    • Take your time - If a caller tries to hurry you into making a quick decision, it’s a sign of a scam. Never 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.
    • Download with care - Unless you called for help, never download anything to a work device for someone who phones up. Fraudsters use this trick to try to take control of your device to steal details and money.
    • Beware of fake websites – Fraudsters can call claiming to be us to convince you to visit an online banking website. It may look like our genuine website, but it’s fake. They want you to enter your online banking user details, passwords or a card reader code. Never type in a website address for anyone who calls or enter any details. To visit our website, always go through our home page at https://www.bankofscotland.co.uk.
    • Keep your code private – Fraudsters can call to ask for card reader codes. Never give these to anyone who calls, no matter what they tell you. A code can give your OK for money to leave your business account.
    • Login safely - Unless you called for help, never login to your computer or Internet Banking for anyone who calls. And never tell a random caller what’s on your computer screen.
    • Double-check changes - If a supplier or client messages or calls to change their payment account details, you need to double-check. Call them back on a phone number you trust, not one from a call or a message. Ask them to confirm the name, account number and sort code.

    If you’re not sure a call is genuine, hang up. To check if we called you, dial 159. This is a safe way to get in touch with us on a landline or mobile.

     Contact us to report fraud or any payments on your account that don’t make sense.

  • We’ll never call to tell you to move money to another account, or to ask for your:

    • full banking details
    • card reader codes
    • Password
    • PIN, or
    • memorable information.

    And we’ll never call to ask you to login to our website, or to download anything.

    If you get a call like this, hang up.

    A genuine caller won’t mind if you hang up. They’ll always find another way to contact you. Or you can contact them.

    Always use a number you trust from your own records or a website, not one from a call.

    If you have a Relationship Manager, you can talk with them.

    Fraudsters want you to talk so they can trick you into a scam. They hate when you hang up. That’s how you beat a scam call.

    Make sure everyone at your business knows what to do.

  • That's wrong!

     

    We’ll never get in touch to tell you to move money to another account. Only a fraudster would do this. If you get a call like this, hang up. Learn how to avoid a scam call.

    That’s right!

     

    We’ll never call to tell you to move money to another account. Only a fraudster would do this. If you get a call like this, hang up.

    That's wrong!

     

    We’ll never call to ask for your login details or card reader codes. Only fraudsters do this. Unless you called for help, never login to your computer or online banking for anyone who calls. And never tell a caller your card reader code. Learn how to avoid a scam call.

    That's right!

     

    We’ll never call to ask for your login details or card reader codes. Only fraudsters do this.

    That's wrong!

     

    We’ll never call from the phone number on the back of your bank card. Fraudsters can copy any of our telephone numbers to look genuine on your caller ID. They may tell you to check the number on the back of your card to convince you it’s a genuine call. If you get a call like this, hang up. Learn how to avoid a scam call.

    That's right!

     

    We’ll never call from the phone number on the back of your card. Fraudsters can copy this number and tell you to check it on the back of your card to convince you it’s a genuine call. If in doubt, hang up.

Learn about other scams and how to protect your business

Scams

Cybersecurity

Financial safety

People