Lloyds Bank safe account impersonation scam
Impersonating: Lloyds Bank
What is this scam?
Victims receive a convincing fake Lloyds fraud alert text about suspicious account activity, followed immediately by a phone call from someone posing as the bank's fraud team who references the text to build trust. The caller pressures the victim into transferring money to a 'safe account' to protect their savings — which is actually controlled by the fraudster. Lloyds has warned of a surge in this tactic with victims losing an average of £399, and some cases running into thousands of pounds.
Example scam message
LLOYDS: Suspicious payment of £849.00 has been attempted on your account. If this wasn't you, call our fraud line immediately. [A call then follows from a fake 'Lloyds fraud agent' asking you to move funds to a 'protected account' for safety]
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
- Do not transfer money — your bank will never ask you to move funds to a 'safe account'.
- Hang up and call your bank directly on the number printed on the back of your card.
- Report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.
- If you've already transferred money, contact your bank immediately and ask about the APP fraud refund scheme.
Received this message?
Forward it to 7726 (free on all UK networks) to report it to your mobile provider.
You can also report it to Action Fraud
or email the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk.
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Check a message nowSource: Action Fraud