Suspicious call from your “bank”? Hang up and call 159

A caller says they’re from your bank’s fraud team, and the number on screen may even look right. In the UK, a three-digit number lets you check without trusting the call.

How 159 works

Hang up, then call 159. It puts you through to your bank, so you know you’re speaking to the real one. Stop Scams UK, which runs the service, says it connects customers of more than 99% of the UK’s retail bank current accounts, and lists the banks on its website.

Which networks it works on

Most UK phone networks, including BT, EE, Plusnet, O2, giffgaff, Three, Vodafone, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.

What it costs

In many cases a call to 159 costs the same as a national rate call, and comes out of your inclusive minutes if you have them.

Signs of a bank impersonation call

• It’s unexpected and urgent: your money is “at risk” and you must act now.
• You’re asked to move money to a “safe account”. UK banks say they never ask customers to do that.
• You’re asked to read out a code your bank has just texted you. A code like that approves something, such as a payment.
• The caller objects when you say you’ll hang up and call back.

See the verification code scam and SIM swap fraud. Scam texts go to 7726: see scam texts.

159 never calls you

Stop Scams UK says 159 will never call you, so a call that claims to come from 159 is a scam.

Common questions

What is 159?

A UK phone service run by Stop Scams UK. After an unexpected or suspicious call about money, hang up and call 159, and it puts you through to your bank.

Is calling 159 free?

In many cases it costs the same as a national rate call, and comes out of your inclusive minutes if you have them.

Will 159 ever call me?

No. Stop Scams UK says 159 will never call you, so a call claiming to be from 159 is a scam.