Brits urged to learn 3 numbers to save you from bank account scams

Knowing just three numbers could save you from a bank account scam.

Almost all of us will have received some sort of scam phone call, email, or text message at some point in our lives. These scams are often designed to look like real businesses, and usually use scary language to make you think that your account or bank details have been compromised.

Normally, these scams will ask you to input your information, such as your bank details, in order to “secure your account”. But what they’re actually doing is taking your details and using them to hack into your bank account and drain your funds.

But there is something you can do to ensure you’re protected against scam callers and emails that might be trying to access your personal information. In fact, it only involves learning three very important numbers.

The important trick was shared on TikTok by a woman named Caroline, who regularly shares advice on everything from thrifting tips to money saving and how to stay vigilant when it comes to scammers.

She claimed that if you get a call from someone claiming to be with your bank, the best thing you can do is hang up the phone immediately and dial three numbers – 159.

The 159 number allows you to call your bank safely, and was set up by Stop Scams UK to help people contact their bank when they receive a phone call that could be a scam. Dialling this number allows you to verify whether it really was your bank on the phone, and can stop you from giving your information over to a scammer.

Caroline said: “Imagine you get a call from somebody claiming to be from your bank. They know your name, they sound professional, and they tell you that there’s suspicious activity on your account.

“Instead of panicking, hang up. Wait for the call to disconnect, that’s very important, and then dial these three numbers: 159. 159 is a genuine UK service that connects you directly to your bank’s customer service or fraud team. This ensures that you’re talking to real people, not muppet scammers.

“So if anybody calls you claiming to be from your bank and claiming there’s been suspicious activity on your account, or asking you to move money, or asking you to share security codes or personal information, stop, hang up, and call 159.”

How does the 159 service work?

The 159 number was set up by Stop Scams UK in 2021 to link customers to their banks safely whenever they believe they have been called by a scammer.

When you dial the number, you’ll be asked which bank you would like to be connected to. You can state this by saying it out loud or using the keypad on your phone. You’ll then be connected to your bank’s customer service department, where you can ask to verify whether the call you received was real or whether there has been any suspicious activity on your account.

Stop Scams UK claimed last year that over one million calls had been made using the anti-scam phone number since it was launched. The number costs the same as making a national rate call, though Stop Scams UK is working towards making it a universal number offered by all phone providers, similar to 111 or 999.