A local young lady, Alicia Sagar, has taken to Facebook to warn others about a very convincing scam that caught her attention today.
She received a TSB bank card in the post, with a letter including all the usual information when ordering a new bank card, including one of TSB’s real leaflets.
Alicia was suspicious that this was a scam as she had not ordered a new card, and as she looked further into it, she noticed several warning signs that proved her suspicions right. She wrote:
“Today I received two letter from ‘TSB bank’. One of which telling me I will receive a new card and the other with the new card.
I knew straight away these were not legitimate letters from my bank.
The reasons I knew were because;
• the font was completely different and a different size in different sections of the letter
• the logo was a different size
• it has none of my official bank details on the right hand side of the letter (like all of my TSB letters do) or in the margin
• it stated my full name whereas all my TSB letters use ‘AM Sagar’ instead
• the return addresses were not to TSB, they were to different addresses on both envelopes and the envelopes were completely different in themselves
• the card was not attached to the letter using glue dots, as it usually is. It was literally just loose in the envelope
• the card had a different sort code and account number (these are always the same, even when you get a new card)
• it has a new pin (which you shouldn’t get as your pin stays the same and then you can change it yourself)
• it was not written in a professional manner”
Many young people are fully aware of the danger of scams, and tend to be less susceptible, especially online, understanding the warning signs a lot quicker than others of an older age group.
Alicia wrote the post to warn others and to ensure that other locals stay vigilant when it comes to this sort of thing, as some scammers can put up a very convincing front, that you wouldn’t think twice about.
If Alicia hadn’t recognised the scam and gone to put the card into the ATM, along with her pin number, she may have lost all of her money and given access to her account in an instant.
If you receive a card in the post, check every detail, and make sure you check the sort code and account number, which will remain the same on EVERY card you own as this is specific to your account and will never change.
Another post on Facebook was shared, with a very similar circumstance, where someone received a Santander card in the post:
“Received new bank card yesterday from Santander
Which I thought a bit strange as there still 9 months on my current one.
It wasn’t a contactless one either like my current card.
Had all the info on letter from Santander about how to activate it etc.
Well as it wasn’t contactless its not much use to me so I went into bank today to ask them to change it.
They informed me that they hadn’t sent out the card and good job I went in.
If I had activated it I would of lost all my money and savings.
Major fraud squad now involved.
Be careful”
