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uk Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
you receive a suspicious text or call claiming your account will be closed

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stop engaging. Do not click, reply, approve anything, or share codes. End the call or close the message, then contact your bank through a route you already trust, such as 159, the number on your card or statement, or the official bank website you type in yourself.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t click any link, scan any QR code, or install any “security” app they suggest.
  • Don’t read out one-time passcodes, card reader codes, PINs, full passwords, or memorable information.
  • Don’t approve anything in your banking app because someone on the phone told you to.
  • Don’t move money to a “safe account”, “secure account”, or “holding account”.
  • Don’t call back the number shown in the text or missed call.
  • Don’t press keys to “confirm” or “cancel” anything during the call.
  • Don’t stay on the call to prove whether it is real. The pressure is part of the scam.

What to do now

  1. Break contact immediately.

    • If it is a call: hang up.
    • If it is a text: do not reply and do not tap anything.
    • If anyone is threatening you, at your door, or you are in immediate danger, call 999.

  2. Check your account using your normal, trusted method. Open the banking app you already use, or type your bank’s web address yourself. Look for:

    • payments you do not recognise, including pending payments
    • new payees or beneficiaries you did not add
    • changes to your phone number, email address, postal address, or security settings
    • banking app approvals you do not recognise

  3. Contact your bank safely, not through the message. Dial 159 if your bank is supported, or use the number on the back of your card, on a statement, or on the bank’s official website. Say: “I received an urgent account closure text or call. I may be targeted by a fraudster. Please check my account and secure it.”

  4. If you clicked, shared details, approved anything, or moved money, say so plainly. Tell the bank whether you:

    • entered details into a link
    • shared a code or password
    • approved a payment in the app
    • moved money to another account
    • downloaded an app
    • allowed screen sharing or remote access

  5. Ask the bank to secure the account and stop what it can. Ask them to:

    • secure, freeze, or restrict affected cards, accounts, online banking, and app access
    • reset security details
    • cancel and replace affected cards
    • remove suspicious payees
    • check recent payee and contact-detail changes
    • stop, recall, or challenge any payments that may still be recoverable

  6. Secure your email and banking access from a safe device. Change your banking password if your bank tells you to, and change your email password because email is often used for resets. Use a device you trust. If you installed an app, allowed remote access, or shared your screen, stop using that device for banking until it has been checked.

  7. Report the text or call. Forward suspicious texts to 7726. Then use your phone’s block or report-spam option. If it was a call, note the number shown, the time, and what they asked you to do.

  8. Report fraud through the right UK route when your account is secured.

    • If you live in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, use Report Fraud.
    • If you live in Scotland, report to Police Scotland by calling 101 or using Police Scotland’s reporting routes. Keep a screenshot of the message, the number if visible, and the time and date.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide now whether to change banks, change your phone number, or replace your handset.
  • You do not need to investigate who contacted you.
  • You do not need to confront the caller or reply to the text.
  • Fuller reporting can wait until your bank access is secured and any possible payment loss has been raised with the bank.

Important reassurance

These “act now or your account will close” messages and calls are designed to make you rush. Pausing, hanging up, and contacting your bank through a trusted route is a safe response, even if the message looks convincing.

Scope note

These are first steps only to reduce immediate loss, secure access, and buy time. If money has left your account, your identity details were shared, or you are unsure what happened, later decisions may need help from your bank, Report Fraud, Police Scotland, Citizens Advice, or another appropriate specialist service.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, cyber security, or professional advice. If you are unsure whether a message or call is genuine, treat it as suspicious and verify it through contact details you already trust.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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