Creating a payee within online banking

Consider who has asked you to move the money. Is this a genuine request?

Fraudsters may contact you pretending to be from the Bank, the Police or other organisations you trust and ask you to transfer money to another account.

Remember: A genuine bank or organisation will never contact you out of the blue asking you to move your money to keep it safe. 

If this sounds familiar, don't make the payment and end contact with the individual immediately.

Before you make the payment, consider whether this opportunity is genuine. 

Scammers will do their homework and make it their business to know as much about you as possible, this doesn't mean the offer is genuine. 

Always seek independent advice before you commit to an investment. You can get more guidance on investment scams and check if an organisation is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on the FCA website, the Jersey Financial Services Commission on the Jersey FSC website, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission on the Guernsey FSC website, the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority on the Isle of Man FSA website or the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission on the Gibraltar FSC website. If they're not, it's likely to be a scam.

When buying goods or services from someone you don’t know consider using your debit card or credit card or a payment method which offers additional protection against scams.  Only pay for goods and services via bank transfer if you know the person you are paying or are satisfied the business is genuine.

Remember that if an offer seems too good to be true, it often is.

Always double-check the bank details of the person by contacting them on a number you can trust. 

Fraudsters often intercept emails and invoices and change payment details. If you send money to a different account than the one you intended it can be very difficult for us to get this back and you may lose your money.

Always ask yourself how well you truly know the person and how reliable they are.

Dating and romance scams can have a financial and emotional effect on victims. The scammer will build a relationship with you before asking you to transfer money due to a personal emergency or to cover travel expenses. Remember that you should never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.

Fraudsters may contact you and ask you to change details of a saved payee.

Only change the details if you know the person or business and they have proof that their bank details have recently changed. A simple phone call to the person on a number you trust could protect you from losing your money.