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An urgent warning has been issued to anyone who banks with Barclays, Halifax, HSBC, and Lloyds.
In the past week, tens of thousands of customers have been the target of scammers.
Over 10,000 scam messages, claiming to be from the aforementioned banks have been issued – asking account holders to verify any suspicious transactions.
Customers have been receiving scam texts that are disguised as security messages requesting payment confirmation from a digital device not used before.
This comes after another series of messages were sent with links to confirm payment to a named person, reported the Mirror.
The scam messages all contain fraudulent links that ask for sensitive information such as online banking details and full names, therefore, putting the person at risk of banking fraud and theft.
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The new alert arrives after warnings of criminals using Royal Mail branding to intercept people’s details.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) says the messages claim a parcel is waiting for delivery but a “settlement” must first be paid.
The message also includes a link to a fraudulent Royal Mail website which then asks the recipient to enter their bank details to release the parcel.
The CTSI has warned that due to the rise in online shopping, more people are likely to be awaiting parcels and deliveries which makes them more vulnerable to this type of fraud.
Lead Officer at CTSI, Katherine Hart said: “I am witnessing so many reports of this scam; indeed, I have received multiple versions of it on my phone. The public is very vulnerable to this type of fraud, especially when more people rely on online payments.
“Fraudsters change the form and methods of their scams to match shifting consumer behaviour. The surge in online shopping and payments means that the public must be more vigilant when making online payments and receiving messages claiming to be from their bank.
“If you receive a suspicious text like this, please contact your bank directly and verify with them. Also, forward any scam texts to 7726, which is a free reporting service ran by Ofcom. We must protect ourselves and others from these scams but also provide vital intelligence to authorities.”
