A major high-street bank has issued an urgent warning, urging the public to be on their guard against scammers during the festive season. The alert comes after customers reported losing nearly £2 million to bank transfer scams over the Christmas period last year.
In one instance, a customer was conned out of £1,700 by a fake “recruiter” on WhatsApp who promised them a job. Santander UK revealed that a staggering £1,999,444 was lost to authorised push payment (APP) scams between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The biggest individual loss was over £600,000, suffered by a customer who fell victim to an investment scam. The bank warned that fraudsters often see Christmas as the perfect time to strike, when people may be distracted by celebrations.
Those looking for post-Christmas bargains or trying to buy concert tickets are particularly vulnerable. Last Christmas Day, victims reported being scammed while buying clothes on Instagram, and tickets to football matches and Taylor Swift concerts on Facebook Marketplace.
Impersonation scams are also common during the holiday season, catching people off guard while they’re relaxing at home. On Boxing Day, Santander customers reported being duped by scammers pretending to be their bank, reports Birmingham Live.
As the New Year dawned, scammers remained relentless, with numerous instances of advance fee scams persisting. One such case involved a customer being duped out of £1,700 after paying to secure a job offer from a fraudulent “recruiter” on WhatsApp.
Data insights from Santander, covering the period from December 25, 2023, to January 1, 2024, revealed that 596 scams were reported by the bank’s retail and business customers. Pete Staffel, Santander UK’s behavioural scientist, warned: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Santander has provided some tips to avoid scams and further fraud awareness advice on its website:
1. Always take time to think before making a payment and pay extra attention to the warnings your bank shows you while making it. They are in place to help you bank safely and avoid being scammed.
2. Exercise caution when purchasing goods from social media platforms, particularly if the item is sold out everywhere else or being offered at a price that seems too good to be true. If you haven’t seen the item in person, there’s a high likelihood it could be a scam. .
3. Remember, anyone can be easily impersonated, and criminals can manipulate caller identities, email addresses or names to appear genuine. Therefore, if you receive an email, text or call, verify its authenticity by calling them back on a known and trusted number. .
4. Always take the time to conduct additional checks before making a payment. This is to ensure both the individual and the payment are legitimate. This could involve reading reviews, researching companies or websites, and verifying the identity of the person or company.
5. Even if you think you’re buying from a friend, make sure to call them first. Fraudsters often hack people’s social media accounts to sell counterfeit items to their friends. Always communicate in person using a trusted number, not one they’ve provided.
If you’re concerned about a potential scam, you can call 159 – a simple-to-remember number that many banks have adopted. If you believe you’ve been scammed, contact your bank immediately.
Scams can also be reported to Action Fraud.