An Aberdeen resident has been scammed out of a five-figure sum after fraudsters contacted him pretending to be his bank.

The victim received a text message claiming to be from his bank requesting he contact them about suspicious transactions. Fraudsters then persuaded him to divulge his name, date of birth, account number and sort code. They then talked him through how to change the security settings on his banking app to ‘secure’ his accounts.

On realising he had been scammed, the victim contacted his bank immediately, who regained control of his accounts.

Scammers often contact potential victims posing as banks, police and telecoms providers to trick them into sending money or divulging security codes that they can use to authorise payments. 

What can you do?

Stay cautious when receiving unsolicited calls, emails and texts. Avoid clicking on links and double-check any ‘urgent’ notifications supposedly from banks or other businesses. 

Contact from unknown numbers is a red flag, but even if the number appears legitimate, contact the company using a trusted method such as the phone number on your debit card. 

Never share your password, Pin or security codes – anyone asking for these is a scammer – and don’t download screen sharing or remote-access software, as this enables scammers to take full control of your device.

Pay attention to fraud warnings from your bank, as these are designed to protect you. Never lie to your bank about the reason for a payment, as fraudsters are known to coach victims into bypassing security checks. 

If the worst happens, report any losses immediately so the banks can freeze accounts and try to recover your money. 

Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police. They spend hours researching you for their scams, hoping you’ll let your guard down for just a moment. Stop and think. It could protect you and your money.

For more information about how to stay safe visit www.scotland.police.uk

This messaging system is not for reporting crime as responses are not monitored 24/7.  If you have time-critical information regarding the content of the above message, or if you wish to report any other non-urgent matter, please call 101.  In an emergency, call 999.

Police Scotland's North East Division covers rural and urban areas in Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City.  The division has five territorial command areas which have their own dedicated Area Commander, who is responsible for the daily policing function.  Each command area is served by a number of community policing teams whose activities are built around the needs of the local community.  These teams respond to local calls and look for long term solutions to key issues.  They are assisted by the division's Crime Reduction Unit who deliver against Force and local priorities in a number of areas, including physical and social crime prevention, supporting and enhancing community engagement and creating and sustaining strong and effective partnership working.