Fake Bank Calls Customers to Confirm Exactly How Much Money They Can Steal
Fraudsters praised for “saving time” by asking victims to verify their entire bank account before robbing them.
Britain’s fraud investigators have issued a warning after criminals unveiled what experts are calling “the most honest scam in history.”
Instead of pretending to protect customers from fraud, the callers now simply ask victims to confirm exactly how much money they have before attempting to steal it.
The scam begins with an extremely polite telephone call.
“Good afternoon,” says the caller.
“I’m Kevin from your bank’s Advanced Customer Appreciation Department. Before we steal your money, could you kindly tell us how much you’ve got?”
Investigators say thousands of people have remained on the line.
One pensioner from Dorset admitted,
“I thought it was refreshing. Most scammers waste twenty minutes pretending they’re helping you.”
Another victim said,
“He sounded so trustworthy. He even thanked me for being organised after I read out all my account balances.”
The fraudsters then continue with what they describe as a “customer satisfaction survey.”
Questions include:
- Which bank account has the most money?
- Which savings account have you forgotten about?
- What is your favourite PIN number?
- Would you mind reading the three digits from the back of your card?
- Is your banking app currently open?
- On a scale of one to ten, how gullible are you today?
According to police, one caller even asked,
“Would it save time if you transferred the money to us yourself?”
Shockingly…
The customer did.
Bank security expert Malcolm Rivers said,
“Years ago scammers relied on complicated lies.”
“Now they simply ask people to hand everything over.”
The fake bank has also introduced a new Premium VIP Fraud Service, where victims can book an appointment at a convenient time to be scammed.
For an additional £29.99 “administration fee,” customers receive:
- A named scam adviser.
- Courtesy reminder phone calls.
- A personalised thank-you email after being robbed.
- A certificate confirming they have successfully funded organised crime.
The company has reportedly achieved an impressive 98% customer satisfaction score, largely because customers only realise they’ve been scammed several hours later.
Police say the easiest way to identify the fraud is that genuine banks almost never telephone asking for passwords, PIN numbers or security codes.
The fake callers, however, insist they are simply “making banking more efficient.”
The company has already announced several exciting new services including:
- Express Identity Theft (completed in under five minutes).
- Family Discount Fraud Packages.
- Christmas Special – Buy One Scam, Get Your Neighbour Scammed Free.
- The Platinum Pension Emptying Service.
- Direct Debit to the Cayman Islands.
One final piece of advice.
“If your bank rings and the first question is, ‘How much money have you got?’ the correct answer is, ‘Apparently not enough to interest you,’ before hanging up.”