Bank & Payment Scams
Bank and payment scams pretend to come from your bank, a card provider, or a payment app like PayPal. They often warn of suspicious activity, a locked account, or a pending payment, then steer you toward a fake login page or a phone call where a 'fraud agent' pressures you to move your money 'to keep it safe.' Real banks do not ask you to transfer funds to a new account or to read out one-time codes.
Common red flags
- A message or call claiming urgent fraud on your account
- Pressure to move your money to a 'safe' or 'new' account
- A request to read out a one-time passcode or verification code
- A 'payment pending' notice that asks you to confirm details to release funds
- Links to a login page that is not the bank's official website or app
Bank & Payment scam guides
PayPal Payment Pending Scam
This scam shows a fake 'payment on hold' message claiming funds will be released once you ship an item or confirm details, but no real payment exists.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Fake Bank Alert Text Scam
This scam sends a text claiming suspicious activity on your account, then steers you to a fake login page or a 'fraud agent' who pressures you to move money.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Fake E-Transfer Scam
This scam sends a fake e-transfer notification linking to a phishing page that imitates your bank's login to steal your online banking details.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Zelle Payment Scam
In this scam someone posing as your bank's fraud team contacts you about 'suspicious activity' and pressures you to send money through Zelle to 'reverse' a charge or 'protect' your account. Zelle transfers are usually instant and hard to recover.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Cash App Scam
These scams use fake Cash App 'giveaways' or 'blessings', people pretending to be Cash App support who ask for your PIN or sign-in code, and 'accidental payment' refund tricks to take your money or take over your account.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Overpayment Scam
A buyer, employer, or 'client' sends you a payment or cheque for more than they owe, then asks you to send the extra back. The original payment is fake or is later reversed, leaving you out of pocket for the refund you sent.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Venmo Scam
Venmo scams take several forms, including fake 'accidental payment' refund tricks, people posing as Venmo support to get your codes, stranger payments that later reverse, and prize or giveaway messages.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Payroll Direct Deposit Scam
In this scam, a fraudster emails an employer's HR or payroll team while pretending to be an employee and asks to update their direct-deposit bank details, diverting the next paycheck to the scammer's account.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Bank Impersonation Phone Scam
In this scam a caller pretends to be your bank's fraud team, claims your account is under attack, and pressures you to move money to a 'safe account', read out one-time codes, or grant remote access so they can steal your funds.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Card Skimming Scam
In a card skimming scam, criminals attach hidden devices to ATMs, fuel pumps, or shop card readers, often with a tiny camera or fake keypad, to copy your card details and PIN and later make fraudulent transactions or card clones.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Fake Cheque Scam
A buyer, employer, or prize giver sends a cheque for more than you are owed and asks you to deposit it and send back the difference. The cheque later bounces, the bank reclaims the full amount, and you are left owing the money you sent on.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Advance Fee Loan Scam
A lender guarantees approval for a loan regardless of your credit, then asks for an upfront 'insurance', 'processing', or 'first payment' fee before releasing the money. Once the fee is paid, the promised funds never arrive.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Fake Debt Collector Scam
A caller claims you owe a debt and demands immediate payment, often threatening arrest, court action or wage garnishment. The supposed debt may be entirely invented, or it may be a real one details have been bought or leaked from data breaches to make the call sound convincing. The pressure to pay quickly by card, transfer or gift card is the core tactic.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Fake Banking App Scam
A counterfeit banking or finance app, often spread through an unofficial app store, an advert or a link, mimics a real bank to capture your login and one-time codes. Some fakes are designed to harvest credentials directly, while others install malware that intercepts your genuine banking. Once attackers have your login and codes, they may attempt to access your real account.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Courier Card Collection Scam
A caller claiming to be from your bank says your card has been compromised and that, for safety, a courier will come to collect your old card. They ask you to confirm your PIN or hand the card over to the courier. In reality the courier is part of the scam, and once they have your genuine card and PIN, the account can be drained.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Real Estate Wire Fraud Scam
During a property purchase, criminals who have gained access to a hacked estate agent, solicitor or title company email account send fake or 'updated' wiring instructions. The aim is to divert your deposit or closing funds into an account they control. Because the email appears to come from a trusted party at exactly the right moment in the transaction, these messages can be very convincing. Always verify any payment details by phone using a number you already know.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Cheque Washing Scam
In a cheque washing scam, criminals steal cheques, often from post boxes or unsecured mail, then use chemicals to erase the original ink. They rewrite the payee name and amount and cash the altered cheque. Because the cheque is technically genuine, the fraud may only surface when it clears or when an expected cheque never arrives. Writing cheques carefully and tracking expected post can reduce your exposure.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
ATM Distraction Scam
The ATM distraction scam happens at a cash machine when a stranger interrupts you at the moment you are entering your PIN or collecting your card and money. While your attention is pulled away, an accomplice may watch your PIN, swap your card for a similar-looking one, or grab cash from the tray. It relies on good timing and a friendly or urgent excuse, so staying focused at the machine is your strongest defence.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Unauthorised Direct Debit Scam
The unauthorised direct debit scam involves payments being set up or taken from your account without your genuine agreement. Fraudsters may use leaked bank details to create recurring payments in your name, or a dishonest company may keep taking money after you have cancelled. Charges are often small or irregular so they slip past unnoticed for months. Reviewing your statements regularly and knowing your dispute rights are the best ways to catch and reverse these payments.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Contactless Card Theft Scam
This scam misuses contactless cards and mobile wallets, through theft, lost cards, or relayed taps, to make quick low-value payments or add a stolen card to a wallet before you notice and block it.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Cardless ATM Scam
This scam exploits cardless ATM features, where a fraudster who has phished your login or one-time code generates a withdrawal code in your banking app and takes cash from an ATM without your physical card.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Bitcoin ATM Payment Scam
This scam, often by impersonators claiming to be your bank, a government agency, or tech support, directs you to withdraw cash and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM using a QR code they provide, sending the money irreversibly to the scammer.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Accidental Transfer Scam
In this scam, money arrives in your account 'by mistake' and the sender urgently asks you to return it; the original funds were stolen or are later reversed, so any money you send back comes from your own balance.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Invoice Redirection Scam
In this scam, fraudsters posing as a supplier or contractor email that their bank details have changed, so your next invoice payment is diverted to the scammer's account instead of the genuine business.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Refund Recovery Scam
In this scam, a caller claims you are owed a refund, gains remote access to your device, moves money between your own accounts to fake an overpayment, then pressures you to 'return' the difference to them.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
ATM Card Trapping Scam
In this scam, a device hidden in the ATM traps your card so it appears stuck, while a nearby 'helpful' stranger watches your PIN or suggests re-entering it, then retrieves the trapped card after you leave.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Mortgage Broker Scam
In this scam, a fake mortgage broker or lender promises guaranteed approval or unusually low rates regardless of your credit, then charges upfront 'arrangement', 'insurance', or 'lock-in' fees for a loan that never materialises.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Money Transfer Service Scam
In this scam, you are pressured to send money through a cash wire-transfer service for a prize, emergency, purchase, or 'fee', because such transfers are fast, often anonymous, and very hard to reverse once collected.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Safe Account Scam
In this scam, a caller posing as your bank or the police says your account is compromised and instructs you to move your money to a new 'safe account' for protection, which is actually controlled by the scammer.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Loan App Scam
In this scam, an instant-loan app offers quick cash with no checks, then demands excessive access to your contacts and photos, charges hidden fees and extreme interest, and harasses or blackmails you over repayments.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Fund Recovery Scam
In this scam, fraudsters target people who have already lost money, posing as recovery agents, lawyers, or authorities who can get the funds back for an upfront fee or your account details, then take more money.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Money Order Scam
In this scam, you are paid with a counterfeit money order, or one for more than agreed with a request to refund the difference; the money order is fake or reversed, leaving you out of pocket for any funds you released.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Card Not Present Fraud Scam
In this scam, criminals use stolen card details, obtained through phishing, skimming, or data breaches, to make online or phone purchases where the physical card is not needed, often testing with small charges first.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
APP Purchase Scam
In this scam, you are persuaded to pay by bank transfer for goods, services, tickets, or a deposit that never materialise; because you authorised the payment yourself, it is hard to recover.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Bank KYC Verification Scam
In this scam, a message or call impersonating your bank says your account will be frozen unless you complete 'KYC' or identity verification, linking to a fake page that captures your login, card, and personal details.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Bank Switch Bonus Scam
In this scam, a fake offer of a cash bonus for switching banks or opening an account links you to a phishing page that collects your existing banking login, card, and identity details.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Payment Request Scam
In this scam, a fraudster sends a payment request through a banking app or payment service, disguised as a refund, credit, or shared cost, so that approving it actually sends your money to them.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Dormant Account Scam
In this scam, you are told you have dormant, unclaimed, or forgotten funds in an account, estate, or scheme, and must pay a release fee or share bank details to claim money that does not exist.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Card Rewards Redemption Scam
In this scam, a call or message claims your credit card reward points are expiring and must be redeemed now, then asks for your card number, OTP, or login to 'process' the redemption and drains your account.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Callback Phishing Scam
In this scam, an email or text about a charge, order, or security issue urges you to call a number, where a fake agent talks you into sharing details, installing remote access, or moving money.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Mobile Cheque Deposit Scam
In this scam, you are paid to deposit cheques using your mobile banking app and forward most of the funds, but the cheques are fake; when they bounce, the money is reversed and you are left liable, and you may be muling fraud.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Buy Now Pay Later Fraud Scam
In this scam, fraudsters use your stolen details to open buy now pay later accounts or hijack existing ones, making purchases in your name and leaving you with the debt and collection notices.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Cheque Cashing Service Scam
In this scam, a fake or predatory cheque-cashing service offers to cash your cheque quickly, then charges extortionate hidden fees, underpays you, or takes the cheque and disappears.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Open Banking Consent Scam
In this scam, a fake app or service asks you to connect your bank via open banking for a 'budget', 'refund', or 'loan check', then uses the granted access to view your data or initiate payments.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Credit Repair Scam
In this scam, a service guarantees to fix or boost your credit score for an upfront fee, using illegal tactics, false disputes, or doing nothing, leaving you worse off and out of pocket.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Debt Consolidation Scam
In this scam, a debt consolidation or management service promises to slash your debts for an upfront or monthly fee, then takes your payments without paying creditors, worsening your situation.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Bank Reimbursement Scam
In this scam, fraudsters pose as your bank's fraud or reimbursement team, claiming they can refund money you lost to a previous scam, then ask for verification details, a fee, or remote access to steal more.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Wallet Provisioning Scam
In this scam, a fraudster who has your card details triggers a request to add your card to their mobile wallet, then calls or messages posing as your bank to get you to share the one-time code that authorises it.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Wage Advance App Scam
In this scam, a wage advance or earned-wage-access app offers instant cash before payday, then charges hidden fees or 'tips', demands intrusive access to your accounts and contacts, or harvests your data.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Micro-Deposit Verification Scam
In this scam, a fraudster sends or references small 'verification' deposits, then uses them to link your bank account to a service, or tricks you into confirming details that grant access for theft.
Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Frequently asked questions
Will my bank ever ask me to move money to keep it safe?
Should I ever share a one-time passcode?
How do I check a suspicious bank message?
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