Fake texts from Halifax and Lloyds banks have been circulating - how to spot the phishing scam

Mobile phone users are being warned to look out for a phishing scam which has been circulating.

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There has been a recent increase in reports of fake SMS texts claiming to be from banks, including Halifax and Lloyds, which attempt to steal people’s personal information.

What do the texts say?

Several different texts have been reported which claim to be from Halifax bank, all of which attempt to direct recipients to a fake website.

Examples have included the following:

“HALIFAX ALERT: A new payee has been added A ADAMS if this was not you visit https://halifax-payeecheck.com IMMEDIATELY”

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“HALIFAX ALERT, Hello george. Suspicious activity has been noticed, you must confirm your details at operatingdata.online/Halifax to prevent suspension.”

“A new device was successfully paired onto your account. If this was not you please visit https://halifax-deviceauthorisation.com.”

“HALIFAX: You registered a new device for Mobile Banking on 28/10 at 18:57. If this was not you, please visit https://halifax-verifymydevice.com/.”

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“HALIFAX: We would like to verify a recent payment from your account. Please follow our link for more details: https://halifax.co.uk.app-review-1485.info.”

“LLOYDS: You have successfully scheduled a payment of £253.99 to payee MR ADAMS for 7:25PM on 01/11. If this was NOT you, visit: lloydspayeenotice.com "

The links contained within the texts direct recipients to a fake website where they are asked to enter their username and password.

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The scam is designed to trick recipients into handing over their personal details, pay money or download a virus.

How to spot a scam text

Action Fraud recommends being wary of scam messages by looking out for various telltale warning signs. Recipients should be suspicious of any messages that:

are unsolicited and supposedly come from a reputable organisation, such as a bank or credit card companyencourage you urgently to visit a website or call a number to verify or update your detailsrequest your personal information such as username, password or bank account

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Advice for recipients

If you do receive a suspicious text message from Halifax, you should forward it on to the bank’s fraud team on [email protected]. If you are unsure if the message is genuine, you can contact Halifax via its official website.

If you suspect you have given personal information to scammers, you should let your bank know immediately.

If you do receive a suspicious message you should not reply to it, and be cautious about clicking on any links that may be embedded, or calling a number that may be provided.

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If you have responded to a message that you suspect to be a scam and gave your bank account details, you should contact your bank immediately.

To report a scam, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report it online.

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