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uk Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
someone claiming to be your bank tells you to move money to a safe account

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

End the contact and do not transfer or approve any money. A genuine bank will not ask you to move money to a “safe account”; contact your bank independently using trusted contact details.

Do not do these things

  • Do not make a full, partial or test payment.
  • Do not approve a new payee, payment, login or security notification at the caller’s request.
  • Do not share your PIN, password, one-time passcode or full security details.
  • Do not trust the displayed caller ID, because phone numbers can be spoofed.
  • Do not call a number, follow a link or use contact details supplied by the caller.
  • Do not install software, share your screen or allow remote access to a device.
  • Do not hide the reason for the transfer or give bank staff a false explanation.
  • Do not withdraw cash, hand over a bank card or give money to a courier.
  • Do not delete messages, payment records or other details of the contact.

What to do now

  1. End the call, chat or message exchange. Do not approve any pending payment or security request.
  2. Contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card or a statement, or through its official app. Type the bank’s website address yourself rather than using a link from the caller.
  3. Say that someone impersonating the bank told you to move money to a safe account. Tell the bank whether you created a payee, started a transfer, approved a payment or sent any money.
  4. If money has moved, give the bank the amount, time, destination account details and payment reference. Ask it to try to stop or recover the payment, record a scam claim and explain what information it needs from you.
  5. Tell the bank if you shared security details, disclosed a one-time passcode, approved a login or payment notification, or gave anyone access to your device. Follow the bank’s instructions for securing your accounts and cards.
  6. If you installed software or allowed remote access, disconnect the device from the internet and stop using it for banking. Contact the bank from another trusted device, then run a full antivirus scan and follow official cyber-security guidance.
  7. Save the caller’s number, messages, transfer confirmation and a brief note of what was said. Do not resume contact with the caller or the receiving account.
  8. Report the suspicious contact or fraud to Report Fraud if you are in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you are in Scotland, report it to Police Scotland on 101.

What can wait

You do not need to identify the caller, discover how they obtained your details, understand reimbursement rules or decide whether to make a formal complaint now. Contacting the bank and securing your accounts come first.

Important reassurance

Ending the contact will not interfere with genuine fraud protection. A completed transfer does not automatically mean there are no options; your bank can assess whether it may be able to stop, recover or reimburse the payment, although no particular outcome is guaranteed.

Scope note

This guide covers the immediate steps for stopping the contact, protecting your accounts and reporting what happened. Complaints, reimbursement disputes, identity protection and full device recovery may require later help from your bank or another specialist service.

Important note

This is general information, not financial, legal, cyber-security or other professional advice. The protections and processes that apply depend on the payment method, the firms involved and the circumstances of the incident.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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