Santander has issued an urgent warning to its millions of UK customers after a surge in sophisticated text message scams that have already cost victims thousands of pounds.
The banking giant revealed that fraudsters are sending convincing texts pretending to be from Santander's fraud department, asking customers to call a fake helpline number. Once connected, scammers use psychological tactics to manipulate customers into transferring money directly to criminal accounts.
How the sophisticated scam works
The fraudulent messages typically claim there's been suspicious activity on the recipient's account and urge them to call a provided number immediately. The text often includes authentic-looking details to appear legitimate.
When customers call the number, they're connected to professional-sounding fraudsters who:
- Claim there's an ongoing fraud attempt on their account
- Pressure them to move money to a "safe account"
- Use technical banking jargon to appear genuine
- Keep them on the phone for extended periods to prevent second thoughts
Real victims, real losses
Santander confirmed that customers have already fallen prey to this scam, with some losing substantial amounts of money. The bank's security team has been working to identify and block these fraudulent messages, but new variations keep appearing.
One key warning sign: Santander will NEVER ask you to move money to a different account for security reasons. Any such request is definitely a scam.
What to do if you're targeted
If you receive a suspicious text message:
- Don't call any numbers provided in the message
- Contact Santander directly using the official number from their website or your bank card
- Never transfer money to a "safe account" - this is always a scam
- Report suspicious messages by forwarding them to 7726
The bank emphasizes that genuine fraud alerts will never pressure you into immediate action or ask you to transfer funds between accounts.
With text message scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, Santander urges all customers to remain vigilant and verify any suspicious communications through official channels before taking any action.
