Centre

This scam involves fraudsters tricking clients into handing over their bank card(s) and PIN(s) by pretending to be either a Bank or Law Enforcement official.

Often this will start with an unexpected phone call from an individual who claims to be from the bank’s fraud department or Law Enforcement. The caller will advise that they have identified fraudulent transactions on your account and that your card has been compromised.

To gain your trust, the caller will prompt you to verify the call by phoning the telephone number printed on the back of your card or providing you with an unverified telephone number.

However, fraudsters often use techniques to hold your phone line open, so that when you try to dial out they can intercept and re-answer the call.

The fraudster will advise that your bank card(s) must be collected in order to protect your card/account and assist with any investigation. They will normally ask you to put your card into an envelope and then ask you to either key your PIN via the phone keypad or to write it down and insert it into the envelope with the card.

The fraudster will then arrange for a courier or someone dressed as a law enforcement officer, to come to your home and collect the card and provide you with a fake reference number. Once the fraudster obtains your card(s) and PIN(s), they can gain access to your account and carry out fraudulent transactions.

Please note that from time to time, the bank may genuinely call you for fraud prevention purposes to verify whether a transaction is genuine.

However, we will NEVER ask to collect your card as part of a fraud investigation or ask you to disclose your PIN, card details or any online banking credentials.

Phishing is a method used by fraudsters to access valuable personal details, such as usernames and passwords which can have a monetary value to criminals.

Phishing can also involve sending malicious attachments or website links in an effort to infect computers or mobile devices (this is known as malware - malicious software). Very often these appear to be authentic communications from legitimate organisations. Embedded links within the message can direct you to a hoax website where your login or personal details may be requested. You may also run the risk of your computer or smartphone being infected by viruses.

Once your personal details have been accessed, criminals can then record this information and use it to commit fraud crimes such as identity theft and bank fraud.

Phishing messages generally try to convince the recipient that they are from a trusted source.
 

Spear-phishing

This technique is used by criminals to use personal information to earn trust and lower the intended victim’s defences increasing the chances they may open attachments or embedded links.
 

Reporting suspicious emails

If you have received a fraudulent or suspicious email, and not responded to it please forward the email to phishing@rbs.co.uk

However, if you have responded to the e-mail, and/or you suspect that any of your accounts with us have been accessed online by someone other than yourself, please contact our dedicated fraud team immediately on 0800 161 5154. When calling from abroad please dial +44 1268 500874

Vishing is when criminals attempt to obtain sensitive and personal information, such as user names, passwords and card reader codes over the telephone.

Fraudsters use many techniques to obtain password and security credentials. Often a fraudster will call the victim and pretend to be the bank or a police official and ask for bank account details, card details, three-digit security numbers, PINs, online banking passcodes or telephone banking security passwords.

• Never give out any online passcodes/PINs or card details to anyone who phones you. If we phone you, we will never ask for this information.
• If you receive a call about your bank account or a transaction and have any doubts about the person’s true identity, hang up and call us on a known RBSI T/A Coutts Crown Dependencies telephone number. 
  01534 282848  – Digital Helpdesk 

This type of fraud predominantly targets businesses but individuals may still be targeted, especially those who buy and sell items online. Overpayment fraud is when a fraudster pays for goods or services by a fraudulent cheque. The cheque is made for a higher amount than the actual value.

The business reimburses the fraudster with the excess amount of money that was apparently paid to it in error, before the cheque gets returned unpaid.

Not only does the business not get paid for the goods or services, but also loses further money because of the ‘excess payment’ it paid the fraudster.

Cheque overpayment fraud is often a method used in employment opportunity scams or transactions for goods and services sold through classified adverts.

The basic things that you need to do to protect yourself from fraud are:

• Install anti-virus/firewall software on your devices and regularly update it.
• Never reveal your card or online banking PIN. Ever. To anyone.
• Choose strong passwords and do not use the same PIN and password for everything.
• Keep your bank updated with new contact details.
• Check your statements and report anything you do not recognise.
• Securely store financial and other valuable documents such as your passport.
• Ensure you dispose of documents diligently (for example, use a cross cut shredder to destroy statements when no longer required).

• Never write down or divulge your security identification answers or passwords to anyone, unless you are certain that you are talking to a Coutts Crown Dependencies member of staff.

• If in doubt hang up and call us back on a known RBSI T/A Coutts Crown Dependencies telephone number:
  01534 282848  – Digital Helpdesk

• If you provide us with new contact details, you will receive a call from our security team to validate the details.

• If you provide us with a payment instruction you may receive a security call back.

• Always securely store your banking, financial and valuable personal documents, such as your passport.

• Shred all financial documents before you throw them away, ideally with a cross cut shredder.

• Be aware what personal information you share on social networking sites, for example, date of birth.

• A variety of ‘harmless’ communications in different formats can be used together to steal your identity or commit fraud.

 

If you are concerned about someone using your identity, here are some useful links.

Checking your credit file

It is a good idea to obtain a copy of your personal credit report on a regular basis to see which financial organisations, if any, have accessed your information. Credit reports can cost as little as £2. If you have concerns about the impact of financial crime on your credit rating, contact the following credit rating agencies for help:

• Experian
• Equifax

 Fraud Prevention Service

Our industry partners CIFAS offer a protective registration service designed to prevent your name and address from being misused by third parties.

Visit the CIFAS website 

Investment fraud involves the purchase of an item that seems to offer a return that is more attractive than a conventional investment.

• Goods offered can include shares, fine wine, gemstones, art, antiques and other rare high value items.
• In reality, the investment opportunity is a scam and what is offered is often over priced, very high risk and difficult to sell on, or non-existent.
• Sometimes the investment can appear to be reassuringly expensive, and still a scam.
• Even traditional safe investments such as property can pose a risk – plots of agricultural land sold for development can in reality have virtually no development potential.

 

How to protect yourself against investment fraud

• Always seek reputable independent or legal advice before you commit to any investment.
• Before you hand over any money, ensure the firm you use is on the regulators register, and is therefore allowed to give financial advice.
• The Regulators maintain a regularly updated list of unauthorised businesses detailing those believed to be involved in fraudulent activities.
• If you need independent advice or are unsure what to do in the case of suspected fraud, you can contact your Relationship Manager if you have any concerns.

To protect yourself from online fraud:

• Never provide your personal details, including your card details, online username or passcodes in response to an email or telephone call.
• Install anti-virus and anti-phishing software on your computer and ensure they are kept up to date.
• Ensure your operating system is kept up to date.
• When purchasing online only use secure websites – those with an address beginning with https:// where the padlock symbol is displayed.
• Be cautious if you receive an email you are not expecting. Not all phishing e-mails are sent to large groups of random people. Spear-phishing is a term used when fraudsters target a specific individual with an email and attachment that the target is more likely to open as it will typically contain something of interest. For example, an email purporting to be from your gym with changing opening times, or a parcel that could not be delivered to you.

For mobile devices:

• Install the latest software updates and security patches
• Enable device PINs/passwords to restrict access to a lost or stolen device
• Install an anti-malware application and software to assist recovery of your device or remotely wipe its data.
   

Social Media

To protect yourself when using social media:

• Children can be targets who unwittingly reveal personal information, such as birthdays, schools, holidays and pet names to ‘friends’.
• Media and press interviews can be used to quickly build up a picture of an individual, when taken with information available through social media.
• Don’t let your audience know if you’re going away on business or holiday.
• Be aware of what friends post about you and your family’s activities.
• Be aware that sites such as Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube can carry the same risks as Facebook and Twitter.
• Understand your security settings and who you're sharing your information with.

How to protect yourself against telephone fraud:

Fraudsters use many techniques to obtain password and security credentials. Often a fraudster will call the victim and pretend to be the bank or a police official and ask for bank account details, card details, three-digit security numbers, PINs, online banking passcodes or telephone banking security passwords.

• Never give out any online passcodes/PINs or card details to anyone who phones you. If we phone you, we will never ask for this information.

If you receive a call about your bank account or a transaction and have any doubts about the person’s true identity, hang up and call us on a known RBSI T/A Coutts Crown Dependencies telephone number:
01534 282848 – Digital Helpdesk

RBS International is a participant in the Jersey Banking Depositor Compensation Scheme. The Scheme offers protection for eligible deposits of up to £50,000. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any 5 year period. Full details of the Scheme and banking groups covered are available on the States of Jersey website www.gov.je/dcs or on request.

RBS International is a participant in the Guernsey Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme. The scheme offers protection for ‘qualifying deposits’ up to £50,000, subject to certain limitations. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any 5 year period. Details are available from: www.dcs.gg. Telephone: +44 (0)1481 722756. Post: PO Box 380, St. Peter Port, GY1 3FY. Deposits made in a Guernsey Branch will not be covered by any equivalent scheme in any jurisdiction outside of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

RBS International is a member of the Isle of Man Depositors’ Compensation Scheme (DCS) as set out in the Depositors’ Compensation Scheme Regulations 2010.

Any deposits held with RBS International t/a Coutts Crown Dependencies will only be covered by the Jersey Banking Depositor Compensation Scheme.

Under the scheme (s) customers are entitled to make only one claim per licensed entity regardless of the number of brands or trading names contained within that licensed entity and customers are entitled to make one claim only per licensed entity in the jurisdiction where the deposits are held. Therefore as NatWest brand is operated by RBS International it is not licensed in its own right. A person with a deposit in NatWest and a deposit in RBS International would thus only be entitled to make one claim.

 

For use with Business account material only:

Not all accounts will be covered by these schemes, and further details of these schemes are available on request.

 

For use with Personal account material only:

Further details of these schemes are available on request.

www.jerseyfsc.org  The Commission is responsible for the regulation, supervision and development of the financial services industry in the Island of Jersey

www.iomfsa.im The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority is the regulatory body for the financial sector in the Isle of Man.

www.gfsc.gg The GFSC is the regulatory body for the finance sector in the Bailiwick of Guernsey