high severity15 January 2026· Global
Warning: “Move your money to a safe account” bank-impersonation calls
Callers posing as your bank or the police claim your account is compromised and pressure you to move money to a “safe account” they control.
In this scam, a caller posing as your bank's fraud team or the police says your account is under attack and that you must move your money to a new “safe account” to protect it. The account belongs to the scammer.
The call uses fear, urgency and secrecy, and the caller ID is often spoofed to look genuine. A real bank or police force will never ask you to move money to a “safe account” or to keep the matter secret from branch staff.
What to do
- Hang up — no genuine bank or police ask you to move money to a “safe account”
- Call your bank back on the number on your card (or 159 in the UK)
- Never share one-time passcodes
- Tell someone you trust and report it