Scam Alert: Watch Out for Fake Lloyds Bank Texts and Courier Fraud

A sophisticated bank scam is currently targeting individuals across the UK. If you receive a text message claiming money is about to be deducted from your account, stay alert—it could cost you your savings.

Here is how the scam works, the specific phone numbers involved, and what to do to protect yourself.

How the Scam Works

1. The Initial Text Message It begins with an urgent SMS claiming that a payment is coming out of your Lloyds Bank account. The message typically arrives from a mobile number starting with +212 777 963 426 (an international mobile number originating from Morocco). The prompt creates a sense of urgency, urging you to contact them or wait for a call.

2. The Follow-Up Phone Call A few days later, you receive a phone call from 020 8072 5700—a London-based landline number that has been repeatedly reported for spoofing fake Lloyds Bank fraud alerts. The caller pretends to be from the bank's fraud department and claims your account is compromised.

3. Courier Collection Fraud The scammer talks you into putting your bank card inside an envelope, assuring you that a courier is on their way to safely collect it for "investigation" or "destruction." Once the courier takes your card, the fraudsters use it along with details gathered during the phone call to drain your funds.

Both the phone numbers and the courier collection method have been formally reported to Lloyds Bank and the police.

Key Warning Signs

• International SMS Numbers: Genuine security alerts from UK banks will not arrive from random international mobile numbers (such as +212 / Morocco).

• Demands for Physical Cards: Your bank or the police will never send a courier to collect your payment card, PIN, or banking details.

• Pressure Tactics: Fraudsters attempt to panic you into taking immediate action without verifying the call.

What to Do If You Receive These Messages or Calls

• Do not respond or call back: Ignore text messages from unknown numbers and hang up immediately if you receive a call from 020 8072 5700.

• Verify independently: Call Lloyds Bank directly using the official number printed on the back of your bank card, or dial 159 (the secure bank fraud helpline in the UK).

• Never hand over your card: Never give your bank card, PIN, or passcodes to anyone who comes to your door or sends a courier.

• Report it:

  • Forward suspicious text messages for free to 7726 (SPAM).

  • Report the incident to Action Fraud online at Report Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Stay vigilant and pass this warning along to friends and family to help keep everyone safe!

How to Stop Scammers in Their Tracks: Key Lessons from Today’s Channel 5 Broadcast

In today’s episode of Matt Allwright on Channel 5, consumer champion Matt was joined by fraud prevention expert Harleen Nottay to break down the latest tactics fraudsters are using—and, more importantly, how we as a community can protect ourselves.

At Bexley Neighbourhood Watch, keeping our local residents safe from fraud is a top priority. Here is a roundup of the core advice and action points highlighted during today’s show.

1. The Golden Rule: Stop, Challenge, Protect

Scammers rely heavily on creating a sense of urgency—whether they claim your bank account is compromised, a parcel couldn't be delivered, or a family member is in emergency financial trouble.

• Stop: Take a moment to pause. Legitimate organizations, banks, or police officers will never pressure you into making an immediate financial decision or transferring funds on the spot.

• Challenge: Ask yourself: Could this be fake? It’s okay to reject or ignore requests for personal information. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

• Protect: If you suspect a contact is fake, report it immediately and contact your bank using the trusted number on the back of your card.

2. Common Scam Tactics Highlighted Today

• Number Spoofing: Criminals can fake the caller ID displayed on your phone to make it look like your bank or the Metropolitan Police are calling. Tip: Hang up immediately. Wait at least 5 minutes (or use a different phone) to ensure the line is clear, then call the official organization directly.

• Suspicious Texts (Smishing) & Emails (Phishing): Never click on links in unsolicited messages claiming you owe money or need to update account details.

• Safe Account Lies: No real bank or police department will ever ask you to transfer money to a "safe account." If someone tells you to do this, it is a scam.

3. Actionable Tips to Protect Yourself & Neighbours

1. Use the 159 Hotline: If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from your bank or credit card provider, hang up and dial 159. This secure, national hotline routes you directly to your bank's genuine customer service team.

2. Report Suspicious Messages:

   • Texts: Forward scam text messages free of charge to 7726 (which spells 'SPAM').

   • Emails: Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.

3. Set Up Call Blockers: For elderly or vulnerable relatives in Bexley, consider setting up landline call blockers or checking if their phone provider offers free nuisance-call shielding.

4. Talk to Your Neighbours: Scammers thrive in isolation. Check in on your neighbours and share these tips. If a crime is currently in progress or someone is at your door, call 999.

Need Further Support?

If you think you have lost money to a scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Stay vigilant, look out for one another, and let's keep Bexley safe!

— Your Bexley Neighbourhood Watch Team

Watchpoint: Stopping Fraud - click to view enlarged

Number Spoofing Scam

When somebody rings you, can you always trust the phone number that they are calling from? The answer is no, because scammers are increasingly using a technique called ‘number spoofing’, where they can mimic the number of a real company, and make it pop up on your phone screen when they call.

Nick Stapleton has been investigating number spoofing scams for BBC Morning Live, including a case where criminals spoofed the phone number of the UK Supreme Court to fool people into handing over their money.

Nick met with ethical hacker Doug Tognarelli, who works with businesses to increase their cyber security. In less than five minutes, he showed that he was able to spoof the phone number of the Supreme Court: the final court of appeal in the UK for all civil cases and most criminal ones.

Nick Stapleton met with Maia, a forensic scientist, who was scammed in May. She received a call saying she had been the victim of identity theft, and that someone from the Supreme Court would follow up directly. She was told to search for the court’s phone number online, and it did indeed match.

Maia told Morning Live: “They told me that they needed me to move my money to other safe accounts, because the investigation now will start, and then my bank accounts would be blocked. I was scared and I was like, hold on a second, Who am I transferring the money to? and the tone changed a bit; she was kind of threatening and told me that I had to cooperate”.

To make the scam more convincing, Maia was told the call was also being monitored by the Ministry of Justice, and that she would receive a further call from them. Again, the phone number tallied up with the official one for the government department, which oversees courts and prisons.

Maia felt pressured into cooperating with the caller, and she began to transfer money. After being on the phone for over two hours, she had transferred more than £10,000.

Maia started to feel suspicious; so she went to the Supreme Court’s website. There she discovered a warning about scammers cloning their phone number. She said: “I was in a state of shock, and then I said ‘you need to stop now, I know that you're a hacker. I'm going to call the police’. At that moment, she hung up.”

Maia reported the scam to her banks and luckily she was able to get most of her money back.

In response to the BBC investigation, a spokesperson from the UK Supreme Court said: “We know that scammers are cloning our phone number and logo and have advisory messages to the public on our website. We never call asking for money or threatening arrest and advise people receiving a call, letter, or email to follow the scams advice on our website.”

The Ministry of Justice told Morning Live: “We sympathise with anyone affected by these shameful scams. The Ministry of Justice will never contact you using an automated message. If you receive a call like this please hang up and report it to Action Fraud.”

The Do Not Originate list is designed to stop scammers using phone numbers to trick people. It’s run by communications watchdog Ofcom, and stops certain numbers from being spoofed before a call can connect. Companies, government agencies like HMRC, and other public bodies can add their phone numbers to the list (pdf).

Ofcom has told the BBC: “Scammers can cause huge distress and financial harm to their victims, and protecting people from harm is a priority for Ofcom. These criminals are becoming more sophisticated and tackling them requires efforts from a range of bodies. We’re working closely with the police, other regulators and industry to tackle the problem.

“One of our initiatives in countering scam calls is the Do Not Originate list. This has proved to be an effective tool, and we review and update the list regularly. We don’t make its contents public, to reduce the risk of scammers using this information to their advantage”.

Be Scam Safe. Remember:

• Never give out your personal information in response to an incoming call, or rely upon the Caller ID as the sole means of identification, particularly if the caller asks you to carry out an action which might have financial consequences. No legitimate organisation will ever ask you to transfer money over the phone.
• It’s OK to hang up on a caller if something doesn’t seem right. You could be stopping a scam from happening.
• If you want to check if it’s a genuine organisation that has called you, you can hang up and call them back. Call the phone number on the organisation’s website. Remember this scam only works with incoming calls, not outbound ones that you make.
• Wait for a few minutes before making the call - this ensures the line has cleared and you're not still speaking to the fraudster or an accomplice.
• If someone calls you saying they are from your bank, you can hang up and call 159 to be connected to most major UK banks.” 159 cannot be spoofed and will never call you.

Source: BBC Morning Live (23 October 2023)

Report A Scam In 60 Seconds

To protect yourself from falling victim to scam and fraud phone calls, it's important to take certain precautions.

If you receive a call claiming to be from your bank but you're unsure if it's legitimate, do not panic or dial the number provided by the caller.

Instead, use a different phone to dial 159, which is a secure line for verifying the authenticity of the call.

Keep in mind that 159 will never initiate a call to you, so if you receive a call from this number, it's likely a scam attempt.

By taking these steps, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of phone scams and fraud.

Further information is available as follows:-

• https://stopscamsuk.org.uk/159
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09xzms6
• https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/can-the-new-159-anti-fraud-hotline-stop-impersonation-scams-a3sp35C1gDCC