Halifax Bank Customers Targeted By Scammers With False Text Message

Halifax Bank Customers Targeted By Scammers With False Text Message.

HALIFAX bank customers and other unsuspecting Britons are being targeted by a dangerous scam text message, informing them of a “new pairing” registered to their bank account. The Covid-19 crisis has caused the crime to double, as more customers move to online banking and criminals exploit people’s vulnerabilities, especially the elderly.

More than £200m was stolen from victims of APP fraud in the first half of 2020, according to the banking trade body, UK Finance. Although a voluntary scheme that requires banks to reimburse blameless customers was launched in May 2019, only about a quarter are fully refunded and not every bank has signed up to the scheme.

Also, time could be running out. There is a pot of cash available to compensate “no-blame” cases – where neither the customer nor the bank is at fault. However, funding is due to end on 30 June. By then, it is expected regulators will have decided on a more sustainable type of funding model.

The Treasury said: “We are engaging closely with the Payment Systems Regulator as it considers what steps are required to tackle the issues – including whether legislative changes would help.”

It is a delicate balancing act. Customers are expected to be vigilant about transferring money, but as scams grow more sophisticated and payments faster, banks have a duty to warn account holders of suspicious tactics and trace stolen funds.

Criminals could easliy go on to use these details to commit identity fraud or to wipe a person’s bank account and run off with the individual’s hard-earned cash. A number of Britons have gone online to share their experiences with the scam purporting to be from Halifax.

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