Threatening text from Barclays!

Grumpy_chap

CricketLady said:

I've just had a text from Barclays saying that they're going to be ringing me over the next few days as they'd like to discuss my account. 

I think I'd be suspicious of that and visiting the local branch to establish the genuine (or not) status of the message.
If Barclays rang me, even following a pre-notification text, I would refuse to provide any information and request to discuss the matter at the local branch instead.

CricketLady said:

another where my customers pay my invoices into (I am self employed) 

It is always best to have a dedicated business account for business transactions to keep them clearly apart from personal funds.
Plus, using a personal account for business usually goes against the terms & conditions.
Perhaps this text should be a prompt to get a proper business account.

CricketLady

Thank you - the text the number has come from is 60275 and it does quote the last four digits of my account so I think it is genuine.

Edited to add - a quick google search says this: A text from the number 60275 claiming to be from Barclays is a Barclays scam .... but I'm still not sure!  I'll give them a ring - the last four digits are my bank account so I'm more confused than ever!

eskbanker

CricketLady said:

Thank you - the text the number has come from is 60275 and it does quote the last four digits of my account so I think it is genuine.

Edited to add - a quick google search says this: A text from the number 60275 claiming to be from Barclays is a Barclays scam .... but I'm still not sure!  I'll give them a ring - the last four digits are my bank account so I'm more confused than ever!

Google 'number spoofing' while you're researching this!

flaneurs_lobster

SMS numbers can be spoofed, may not be the real number at all. Bank account numbers are not that secret, think cheques or printed on your debit card.

As you say, ring them on a number from your card or their webpage.

danny13579

CricketLady said:

Thank you - the text the number has come from is 60275 and it does quote the last four digits of my account so I think it is genuine.

Edited to add - a quick google search says this: A text from the number 60275 claiming to be from Barclays is a Barclays scam .... but I'm still not sure!  I'll give them a ring - the last four digits are my bank account so I'm more confused than ever!

Yes, ring them using the number on the back of your debit card or website, not any number they give you in a text. Numbers can be spoofed.

As for the last 4 digits of your bank account, have you ever written a cheque? Your account number will be on that.

CricketLady

Hi everyone and thank you so much for all your support.  I'm so glad I reached out to you all

I just rang Barclays from the number on my debit card and a really lovely gentleman reassured me that there has been no text message sent from them today (or yesterday!)  

Feeling much happier and yes Danny, you are right - the gentleman also pointed out it is easy for scammers to obtain the last four digits of accounts as they are everywhere!

Thanks again, enjoy your evenings xx

Chief_of_Staffy

You'd imagine that these banks, so keen on preventing fraud, would have some foolproof mechanism allowing customers to know whether the phone call purporting to be from the bank is genuine or not. I got call a few months back by one of my savings banks. A voice said they were calling from my bank and, to be sure they were speaking to the account holder, they needed to run through a few security questions.

I explained politely that I wouldn't be giving them anything because as far as I knew they were a scammer. After a brief silence, they said, "Well, you can check the number against the website?" I hung up and after checking I wasn't on an open line, rang the bank in question. And it had actually been them, wanting to know if I'd received an email as their systems had been on the blink.

This was the same bank that last week demanded I post to them 'original or certified evidence' in order to update my address after a house move.

CricketLady

Yes if they tell you they want to run through some security questions, when they called you, that's unbelievable!

moneytorques

Wouldn't surprise us if you still did get a genuine call from Barclays saying we want to discuss your accounts and the poor fellow you spoke to is in a a completely different loop of information.... Such is the Barclays Technology centre.

robatwork

moneytorques said:

Wouldn't surprise us if you still did get a genuine call from Barclays saying we want to discuss your accounts and the poor fellow you spoke to is in a a completely different loop of information.... Such is the Barclays Technology centre.

Firm agree. My money's on it being genuine, but the guy you spoke to is on a different system to the department calling you. Most major banks have woefully disparate computer systems. Having said my money's on this, not more than 20 quid.