How to avoid scams
Learn how to protect yourself, and where to go for help if you're a victim.
Protecting your account
How we help to keep your money safe
We always look out for threats from fraudsters. Here are some measures we take to make sure your money is secure.
24-hour protection
We’re looking out for you and your money round the clock so you can rest assured we never stop working to keep your finances safe.
Contactless payments
When you make contactless payments, you are protected from fraud just like you are with chip and PIN purchases and online purchases.
As long as you haven’t been negligent (for example, by letting someone else use your card), you're not liable for any fraud on your account.
If you suspect there’s been fraud on your account, that someone else might know your personal details, or your card is lost or stolen, contact us immediately.
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Our PINsentry gives you a strong layer of protection to add to your log-in details, and helps keep your accounts even safer.
It works by asking you to insert your Barclays debit card and PIN into a card reader that we send you. The reader generates a unique security code that you'll then need to type into Online Banking. And if you register for our app, you can get the code on your smartphone using Mobile PINsentry. That way, you get the extra security when logging in without needing to carry your card reader around.
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When you use our Online Banking services or the Barclays app, you're protected by our guarantee.
This means that if you tell us a payment from your account wasn’t authorised and ask us for a refund, we’ll reverse the transaction as soon as we can – though there are some exceptions to this.
For instance, we might not offer a refund if we think you’ve acted without reasonable care – by giving someone else your card PIN, for example, or by keeping your PIN written down with your card.
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To give you more protection against fraud, the way you pay online has changed.
New rules on payment services mean you’ll sometimes be asked to prove it really is you when making some online purchases.
You’ll have a choice of three ways to confirm it’s you
- The Barclays app (make a few taps on your screen)
- Text message (type in a code sent to your mobile)
- PINsentry card reader (use it with your card to generate a code)
The quickest and easiest way to confirm is by using the Barclays app.
Find out more on how the changes could affect you.
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We’ve put three lines of defence in place to make it harder for fraudsters to get through.
- Data encryption – for your protection, our Online Banking service scrambles any information you send us
- Timed log out – we’ll log you out if you don't use the service for 10 minutes. This gives you extra protection if you forget to log yourself out
- Deactivation of your log-in details – we'll automatically disable your access to Online Banking if 3 incorrect log-in attempts are made. This is to stop fraudsters making repeated attempts to get into your accounts
Want to know more?
Read one of our articles to find out more about fraud and scams, and how to protect yourself.
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…and we’ve plenty to help you keep an eye on your cards too
Card security and spending controls
Our fraud prevention features put you in control of your debit card payments. You can set spending limits and choose how your card works - and instantly update your preferences to suit your needs.
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