How to spot a fake text message?

• They could try to alarm you - The scammers might use capital letters or frightening language to make you believe your bank account has been accessed.
• They might use shocking numbers - By telling you a specific amount has been withdrawn from your account, fraudsters want to make you panic. 
• They'll often try to rush you - They will tell you to “act fast” so you will act without thinking or claim that your account has been accessed at a specific time to make the message seem genuine. 
• They might tell you a certain device was used - Scammers will say a specific device was used to log in to your online banking to make the scam seem real. They may tell you an unauthorised or unknown device was used.
• They'll try to sound helpful - Another way fraudsters try to trick you is by using language you’d expect to hear from a bank or a company you trust, such as a slogan or phrases. 
• They may follow up a fake text with a call - There have been cases where fraudsters send a smishing text and then quickly follow up with a phone call, to make the scam appear more real. When a fraudster uses a phone call to try to trick you into telling them your financial information, it’s known as vishing.

How to protect yourself

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