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uk Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
your bank sends a suspicious transaction alert asking you to confirm by link

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

Short answer

Do not click the link, reply, or share any code. Contact your bank using a trusted route, such as the official app or the number on your card, and ask them to check your account for fraud.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t click the link “to confirm”, even if it looks like your bank or appears in an existing text thread.
  • Don’t call any phone number, open any chat link, or follow “press 1” prompts from an unexpected message or call.
  • Don’t share a one-time passcode, PIN, full password, card details, or app approval with anyone who contacted you first.
  • Don’t approve any in-app prompt, new-device request, digital-wallet request, or payment request you did not start yourself.
  • Don’t move money to a “safe account”, “holding account”, or “secure account” because someone tells you to.
  • Don’t assume it is genuine because the message knows your name, bank, or partial account details.

What to do now

  1. Pause and leave the message alone. Take a screenshot if you can, then do not click, reply, or forward it to friends.

  2. Contact your bank safely.

    • Use the official banking app, the number on the back of your card, or a number from a bank statement.
    • If you were on a phone call about this, end the call first. Start a fresh contact route yourself; use the app, wait a moment before calling, or use another phone if that is easier.
    • If your bank supports it, you can dial 159 as a safer route to reach many UK banks.

    Say: “I received a message asking me to confirm a suspicious transaction by link. Please check whether it is genuine and help secure my account.”

  3. Ask the bank to lock down anything at risk while you are in contact. Ask about freezing your card, blocking online banking access, resetting login details, cancelling or reissuing cards, removing unknown devices, and adding extra verification notes to your account.

  4. Check for fast-moving account takeover signs with the bank. Ask them to look for:

    • unknown devices or a new trusted device
    • new payees or beneficiaries
    • card purchases or bank transfers you do not recognise
    • changes to your phone number, email, address, or security settings
    • digital-wallet cards or app approvals you did not set up

  5. If you already clicked the link or entered details, treat the account as at risk.

    • Tell the bank immediately using a trusted route.
    • Change your banking password using the official app or website you navigate to yourself.
    • Change any other account passwords that reused the same password.
    • If you typed card details, ask the bank whether the card should be cancelled and replaced.
    • If you shared a one-time passcode or approved a prompt, tell the bank exactly what happened.

  6. Report the message after the bank is secured.

    • Forward suspicious texts to 7726 for free.
    • Forward suspicious emails to [email protected].
    • Report suspicious websites through the GOV.UK phishing reporting page.

  7. If money has left your account or your details were taken, report it through the right UK route.

    • In England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, report it to Report Fraud online or call 0300 123 2040.
    • In Scotland, report it to Police Scotland on 101.

What can wait

  • You don’t need to decide right now whether to close accounts or change banks.
  • You don’t need to confront the sender, reply, or test the link.
  • You don’t need to write a full timeline immediately; keep the message or screenshot and focus on securing access first.
  • You don’t need to decide any refund, complaint, or identity-protection steps until your bank has checked the immediate risk.

Important reassurance

These “confirm by link” messages are common and designed to create urgency. Slowing down and contacting your bank through a trusted route is the right move, even if the alert later turns out to be genuine.

Scope note

These are first steps only, to reduce immediate risk and secure access. If money has left your account, your identity details were taken, or the bank disputes what happened, later decisions may need specialist help.

Important note

This guide provides general information, not legal, financial, cyber security, or professional advice. Bank processes and app screens vary; use a trusted contact route and ask the bank’s fraud team to talk you through the safest next step.

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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