Is a bank text asking me to call a number a scam?
Yes. Do not call the number in the text: it connects you to a criminal. The sender's name can be faked, so the text can look like it comes from your bank.
Arrives by Text. Pretends to be: Barclays, Nationwide, NatWest, Halifax and other banks.
How to spot it
Barclays: 1A new direct debit has been set up on your account. If this was not you, 2call this number to cancel it:
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Example: rebuilt from Which? alerts of September and August 2026, which describe the text but do not print the number. We blacked out the dark parts.
- A payment you do not recognise
- A phone number to ring, written in the text
- Other signs to watch for
- A rush: "cancel it now"
- The person on the phone asks for codes or tells you to move money
How it works
A text says a direct debit or standing order has been set up, or that a payment is pending. It asks you to ring a number to cancel it. The person who answers sounds like a bank worker. They ask for security details, or tell you to move money to a "safe account". Other versions send a link to a copy of the bank's site.
What to do
Do not call the number in the text. Dial 159 instead: it connects you to your own bank.
Check your account in your bank's app, or call the number on the back of your card.
If you have lost money, tell your bank now and report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040) with your screenshots; in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. If someone is coming to your home to collect money or cards, call 999.
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