Little Red Riding Hood – the story of a girl, a wolf, and being careful who we talk to. It’s a valuable lesson to keep in mind, even today. Real-life villains are out there, trying to trick you out of your money. But you can see straight through their disguise if you know what to look for.
If you receive a suspicious looking message – even if it looks like it’s from us – take a screenshot and send it to ReportFraud@metrobank.plc.uk so we can investigate. This email address is only for reporting possible scam activity – please do not use it for general questions or banking requests.
A fraudster might try to trick you into revealing your full security number, complete password or your card’s long number. Always keep your details secret
To protect your details, our emails and text messages don't include links to our online banking log in pages. If a link does this, it’s not from us
We take fraud seriously and will always do our best to protect you. But there’s also a number of ways you can help protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud
One-time passcodes
When we need to verify who you are, we’ll send a unique code to the mobile you gave us when you opened your account.
The text will state exactly what the code is for, like creating a new payee. You shouldn’t tell anyone what this code is other than a Metro Bank colleague. If someone asks for the code but for a different reason than is stated in the text message, you shouldn’t answer them.
If you get a one-time passcode message you’re not expecting, give us a call on 0345 08 08 500.
Alerts
If we notice something suspicious or need to get in touch with you, we may send you an alert either by email or text message. If it’s a text, it’ll be from “METRO BANK”, ‘MetroBank’ or the number ‘80003’.
While we may ask you to reply to messages, we’ll never:
If you’re not sure whether a text or email is genuine, give us a call on 0345 08 08 500.
Stopping suspicious transactions
We invest in sophisticated software to identify and protect you from fraudulent activity. If we believe someone has attempted to defraud your account, we’ll protect your money and contact you. You’ll never be asked to move your money to another account ‘for safety’ – only a fraudster would ask.
Our cards also have the added protection of MasterCard SecureCode. This software works to stop any fraudulent transactions on your account. It can stop suspicious activity, like unusual card payments or purchases. If a purchase looks suspicious, we’ll ask for extra authorisation.
If you don’t recognise a card transaction on your account, give us a call on 0345 08 08 500.
Seeing through the disguise
Fraudsters use email, phone calls or text messages to try and steal your information (sometimes referred to as phishing, vishing and smishing).
What you can do:
Spotting a fraudster’s email
Fraudulent emails can look genuine, but there are a few giveaways to look out for:
If you ever receive a suspicious email, forward it to us at ReportFraud@metrobank.plc.uk.
Fake numbers and call interception
Fraudsters can hide their own details and impersonate the number of a legitimate business to try and deceive you (sometimes referred to as ‘spoofing’).
This means their call may come up with a number you recognise, like Metro Bank’s number. It’s always important to verify who you’re talking to, and not to trust an unsolicited call. If you’re ever unsure or suspicious, hang up and contact us using a source you trust, like the number on the back of your card.
If you’ve been asked to call a number but want to make sure it’s genuine, simply enter it into our Phone Checker.
Keeping an eye on your cards
Your cards can be vulnerable to fraud – so it pays to keep a close eye on them. Here are a few tips:
Counterfeit cards
Fraudsters can make a counterfeit card by cloning your card’s magnetic strip (sometimes referred to as skimming). This happens most often at bars, restaurants, petrol stations and cash machines. And most people don’t know it’s happened until their statement arrives.
How to prevent skimming:
Fraudsters using your card details to buy things online, by phone or by post
This is called card-not-present fraud, and it’s the most common type in the UK.
How to protect your details:
Your card being stolen on its way to you
There’s a bigger risk of this if you share a letterbox.
Find out how long it will take for your card to arrive and contact your card provider straight away if it doesn’t turn up. Don’t forget, with Metro Bank you can get your card printed in store on the spot - and because we’re open until 8pm on weekdays and open weekends you can do this at a time convenient for you.
Money mule scams
A money mule is someone who helps criminals launder money. They’re often recruited by adverts that look like a legitimate job, but involves transferring money through your own account and keeping a cut as commission.
The money is likely to be the proceeds of crime, and it’s a criminal offence to hold it. If you’re suspected of money laundering, your accounts may be suspended and closed down. Your name might also be put on the fraud database.
How to avoid becoming a money mule:
Keep your passwords strong
Other people shouldn’t be able to guess your passwords. And you shouldn’t use the same one for more than one site. Here are a few tips to consider when making a password:
Check your wireless network
Use a secure wireless network you trust to go online. If you’re on an unsecured network, a fraudster can see who you bank with and could hack your personal information.
Protecting your details on wireless networks:
Banking on your mobile
We’re doing more banking on our mobile phones – and the fraudsters know it. Here’s how to be as safe on your phone as you would be on your computer:
What’s a SIM Swap?
This happens when a fraudster replaces your SIM with a new one and moves your number to it. All your calls and texts will be diverted to the new number – making the fraudster the main contact for your bank and card providers.
What you need to be aware of:
Protecting yourself on Social Media
Sharing personal information on channels like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can put you at risk from fraudsters. They can use your details to impersonate you, accessing your accounts and opening new ones in your name.
How you can protect yourself:
Social media and Metro Bank
We have official accounts on Twitter (@Metro_Bank and @MetroBank_Help), on LinkedIn, Instagram and on YouTube.
Both our Twitter accounts have been verified by Twitter and include Twitter’s blue verified badge.
We’ll never ask you to share any account information in a public forum. The only details we’ll ever ask you for are your name (or if you’re a business customer, your business name) and a contact number we can reach you on. Please use a private/direct message to tell us these.
If you ever have doubts about a social media channel, call us on 0345 08 08 500 or email phishing@metrobank.plc.uk.
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