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Barclays explains how to 'make sure your account is safe' after scam reported
Barclays explains how to 'make sure your account is safe' after scam reported
A customer with Barclays shared a suspicious message they had received
Barclays has issued a warning for customers
(Image: Getty )
Barclays has issued an update for customers pointing to a crucial clue that indicates a message allegedly from the bank is in fact fraudulent. A person reached out to Barclays through social media, questioning the authenticity of a text message they had received.
They included a snapshot of the text they had received, asking: "Is this a legit number for you to use to contact people?" They were sceptical about the content of the message, which stated: "BARCLAYS: Your OTP code to approve a debit of 3733.50 to AVIVA is 44346. If you did NOT do this call us on 0330 133 0198 Ref: BR45."
The dubious message arrived from a number starting with '+447'. Barclays promptly replied with this warning: "I can assure you that we would never text from a number that is +44." The bank also questioned if the customer had any association with AVIVA.
Explaining the reason for this question, Barclays said: "If not, then this would certainly seem to be a scam text in my opinion. If you would like to make sure that your account is safe then you can certainly give a call to our fraud team on 0800 3891 652 and their lines are open 24/7 for you."
The customer replied saying they had no past interactions with AVIVA. Fraudsters sometimes send out convincing texts and emails like this, purporting to be from banks or trusted groups. The messages often direct victims towards fake websites designed to extract personal and financial information.
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If you receive a dubious phone call or message claiming to be from your bank, one way to verify the situation and determine if any action is required is to call the 159 service. By dialling this number, you'll be connected to a legitimate helpline for your bank.
