Fake texts from Halifax and Lloyds banks have been circulating - how to spot the phishing scam

Mobile phone users are being warned to look out for a phishing scam which has been circulating.

There has been a recent increase in reports of fake SMS texts claiming to be from banks, including Halifax and Lloyds, which attempt to steal people’s personal information.

What do the texts say?

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Several different texts have been reported which claim to be from Halifax bank, all of which attempt to direct recipients to a fake website.

Examples have included the following:

“HALIFAX ALERT: A new payee has been added A ADAMS if this was not you visit https://halifax-payeecheck.com IMMEDIATELY”

“HALIFAX ALERT, Hello george. Suspicious activity has been noticed, you must confirm your details at operatingdata.online/Halifax to prevent suspension.”

“A new device was successfully paired onto your account. If this was not you please visit https://halifax-deviceauthorisation.com.”

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“HALIFAX: You registered a new device for Mobile Banking on 28/10 at 18:57. If this was not you, please visit https://halifax-verifymydevice.com/.”

“HALIFAX: We would like to verify a recent payment from your account. Please follow our link for more details: https://halifax.co.uk.app-review-1485.info.”

“LLOYDS: You have successfully scheduled a payment of £253.99 to payee MR ADAMS for 7:25PM on 01/11. If this was NOT you, visit: lloydspayeenotice.com "

The links contained within the texts direct recipients to a fake website where they are asked to enter their username and password.

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The scam is designed to trick recipients into handing over their personal details, pay money or download a virus.

How to spot a scam text

Action Fraud recommends being wary of scam messages by looking out for various telltale warning signs. Recipients should be suspicious of any messages that:

are unsolicited and supposedly come from a reputable organisation, such as a bank or credit card companyencourage you urgently to visit a website or call a number to verify or update your detailsrequest your personal information such as username, password or bank account

Advice for recipients

If you do receive a suspicious text message from Halifax, you should forward it on to the bank’s fraud team on [email protected]. If you are unsure if the message is genuine, you can contact Halifax via its official website.

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If you suspect you have given personal information to scammers, you should let your bank know immediately.

If you do receive a suspicious message you should not reply to it, and be cautious about clicking on any links that may be embedded, or calling a number that may be provided.

If you have responded to a message that you suspect to be a scam and gave your bank account details, you should contact your bank immediately.

To report a scam, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report it online.

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