Fake Barclays direct debit arranged scam text

What is this scam?

Scam texts impersonating Barclays from spoofed mobile numbers claim that a new direct debit has been set up on the recipient's account. Victims are urged to call a fraudulent 'fraud prevention' phone number to dispute the instruction, where a scammer attempts to extract personal details, full account credentials, or persuade them to approve a reverse payment into a criminal-controlled account. The existing Barclays payee scam (March 2026) prompted a call to action via a link; this variant uses a phone number instead, designed to bypass phishing filters.

Example scam message

Red flags to look out for

• The message creates urgency — threatening a fine, missed delivery, or account closure.
• Links lead to unofficial domains that don't match the real company's website.
• You weren't expecting this message and can't verify the event it references.
• It asks you to confirm payment details or personal information via a link.
• The sender's number or email address doesn't match the company's official contact.

What to do if you receive this

1. Do not transfer money — your bank will never ask you to move funds to a 'safe account'.
2. Hang up and call your bank directly on the number printed on the back of your card.
3. Report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.
4. If you've already transferred money, contact your bank immediately and ask about the APP fraud refund scheme.