Nationwide urges scam victims to speak up as fraudsters exploit embarrassment

Nationwide is urging customers to tell their bank when a payment feels suspicious, warning that fraudsters use personal details, professional-sounding calls and pressure tactics to win trust.

Nationwide Building Society is warning customers not to keep quiet when they suspect a payment might be suspicious, saying fraudsters often rely on embarrassment and confusion to stop people from seeking help. The lender’s message comes after actress Lisa Riley described how she was drawn into what she thought was a genuine online travel permit service, underscoring how convincing scams can appear at first glance.

According to a recent Nationwide survey of 2,000 adults across the UK, 15% said they had shared personal details with someone they later realised was not genuine. Nearly one in five respondents said they would be willing to return a call from an unknown number, a habit that can leave them exposed to fraud. The research also found that 10% would trust an unexpected caller if they sounded professional, while 14% would be reassured if the caller knew their full name and 13% if they knew their date of birth. Nationwide said the average loss from impersonation scams is close to £2,200.

Annya Burskys, Nationwide’s head of fraud operations, said scammers are becoming more sophisticated, often mimicking trusted organisations, using personal information to win confidence and pressing victims to act quickly. She added that some will even tell people what to say if their bank queries a transfer, on the false promise that it will speed things up. “In reality, the more your banking provider knows, the better it can support and protect you,” the building society said. Riley’s experience, according to Nationwide, is meant to reinforce the same point: if something feels off, customers should stop, check and tell their bank what is happening.