Think you’ve been targeted?
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, please contact us as soon as you can.
Protect yourself from scams
Learn about the different types of scam
Scammers get more sophisticated every day, so it’s important to be alert. We’ve put together some examples of the most common scams, to help keep you protected.
Why you need to stay alert
Scammers do everything they can to appear legitimate. Learning about the different types of scam can help you to protect yourself when you get a phone call, or an official-looking letter, email, or text message. We'll help you question any correspondence you receive, so you don't fall for a scam.
If you get an email or text that looks suspicious, please forward it, along with any attachments if possible, to internetsecurity@barclays.com.
Visit our latest scams page to learn about current trends and what to look out for.
Types of scams to watch out for
These are among the most common tricks currently used by scammers but they constantly come up with new ways to contact you, so be vigilant.
Impersonation scams
When someone pretends to be the police, a bank, a friend or business, to convince you to send them money.
Investment scams
When you’re invited to invest in things that are worthless, or don’t exist.
Purchase scams
When fake or non-existent items are advertised for sale.
Advance fee scams
When fake companies ask for an upfront fee and then don’t provide the service you’ve paid for.
Invoice scams
When account details on an invoice are changed, or emails are intercepted, so the money is wrongly paid into the scammer’s account.
Romance scams
When someone pretends to be interested in a romantic relationship with you. They gain your trust and then ask for money.
Pension scams
A scammer says they can make you money, and convinces you take a lump sum out of your pension – then steals it.
Doorstep scams
A rogue trader knocks on your door and pretends your house needs work – then overcharges you for it and often doesn't finish the job.
Bereavement scams
A scammer contacts you after someone has died, and says you owe money to pay off a debt or to access a payout.
Phishing, smishing, and vishing
You receive an email, text message, or call claiming to be from a well-known company or organisation such as a bank or the police.
Our quick tips to get you started
Be sceptical and vigilant
Be wary if you transfer money to someone and it bounces back straight away. You might have sent it to an account that’s been closed for fraud. Don’t try to make the payment again, especially if the person gives you new details immediately or asks you to pay in another currency. Instead, speak to a trusted friend or family member or call us.
Talk to someone you trust
Always speak to a trusted friend or family member if you're unexpectedly asked for money. Remember – if you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about the situation, it could be a sign that something’s not right. Consider consulting a qualified financial adviser before investing your money.
Ask questions and do research
Read reviews of the sites or companies you’re thinking about dealing with. Don’t rush into making any payments. Check their web address too, to make sure the site is genuine – check there aren’t subtle misspellings in the web address and make sure there’s a padlock symbol shown next to the address in your browser.
When you transfer money, tell us the real reason
When you transfer money, we ask you tell us the reason for your payment so we can help protect you from scams. Scammers often try to trick you into selecting the wrong reason so you see the wrong warnings.
Always take the time to select the right reason for your payment. If someone asks you to select one that doesn’t match what the payment is for, it’s probably a scam. If you think you might have already paid a scammer, please report the scam to us.
Business fraud and scams
Fraudsters use different tricks when they target businesses – learn how to protect your business from fraud.
Protection update
Authorised push payment scam claims
Authorised push payment (APP) scams happen when a scammer tricks you into sending them money by bank transfer.
From 7 October 2024, we’re changing the way we handle APP scam claims to meet new rules from the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR). If you last paid the scammer before 7 October 2024, we’ll consider your claim under the Contingent Reimbursement Model code.
Scams where you’ve paid by credit or debit card, cash, cheque or international transfer aren’t covered by these rules, but you should still report the scam as we review all claims.
PSR reimbursement policy
If you last paid the scammer on or after 7 October 2024 and your claim is eligible, we might help cover the money you’ve lost. In most cases, we’ll tell you our decision within five working days.
Contingent Reimbursement Model code
We’ve signed up to this voluntary code to help protect you from APP scams. It means:
- If you did everything you could to protect your money, we’ll cover your loss
- If you didn’t do everything you could, but we could have done more to protect you, we’ll cover half of what you’ve lost.
In most cases we’ll tell you our decision within 15 working days.
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