Santander has issued an alert to its many customers after reports of scammers taking money from accounts. The banking giant is urging people to be extra vigilant over the festive season, after revealing that its customers were defrauded of nearly £2 million over the same period last year.
One customer was hit particularly hard, losing over £600,000 in an investment scam—the largest loss recorded by a Santander client in 2023. On Christmas Day, many unsuspecting customers fell prey to online scams, lured by offers for items like Taylor Swift concert tickets and football match tickets on Facebook Marketplace, according to Santander.
Boxing Day also saw several customers report being approached by fraudsters masquerading as their bank. And on New Year’s Day, one individual was duped into paying £1,700 to “secure a job offer with a recruiter” through WhatsApp.
In total, Santander noted that almost 600 scam cases were reported by its customers between December 25, 2023, and January 1, 2024. Pete Staffel from Santander UK is advising customers to remain alert as the holiday season draws near.
He said: “It’s that time of year when everyone is looking for that perfect gift, whether it’s the sold-out toy or ‘something a bit different’. Online adverts are the prime place for finding that dream present – I even found one the other day, a perfect family game, complete with a video showing how it all worked.”
“My kids would love it, and only two left in stock! But just before clicking buy, I checked the reviews, it was a scam. Don’t let the build up to Christmas cloud your senses.”
“Scammers don’t take the holiday season off, and whether it’s through ‘buy it now’ ads, impersonating your bank, or offering a too-good-to-be- true investment, they will be looking for ways to be the Grinch that steals more than your Christmas.”