The challenging times we’re all experiencing means we’re getting a lot more calls than usual and our call times are longer. So we can support people in the most vulnerable situations, we ask that you only call us if your enquiry is urgent. You can still use our online and mobile banking services and our automated service.

Money making scams

Scams can look like great deals and get-rich-quick schemes. But if you know what to look out for and what to do you can protect yourself.

Pension scams 

Paying into a pension can be a great way to save. But you need to look out for scams that can target your pension pot.

What to look out for:

  • You’re contacted out of the blue - If you get a call, text or email about your pension without any notice, it’s often a scam. 
  • Amazing deals - Scams can hide behind deals that offer great returns if you transfer your pension or release cash from it. But these can be high risk, complex or long-term investments, hide large fees or simply there to steal your money. 
  • Release your cash - If you’re under 55 years of age and a firm offers help to release cash from your pension, it’s usually a scam. 
  • You need to act now - Scams like to put you under pressure and rush you into making a quick decision. 
  • Clone companies - Some scams pretend to be real pension firms. Before you deal with a firm, check them out with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). 
  • Fake sites - People can use fake sites and facts about pensions to draw you in to a scam. 

What you can do:

  • Hang up - If you get a call out of the blue about your pension, it’s illegal and usually a scam. 
  • Refuse free reviews - You usually have to pay a fee to get proper pension advice. If you get an offer of a free pension review, it’s likely to be a scam.
  • Do your own research - If you look into pension offers and advice yourself then it’s very hard to be talked into a scam.
  • Check companies out - You can use the FCA site to make sure a company can offer pension services. 
  • Use real contact details - Always use the contact details from the FCA site and not ones that a firm may give you.
  • Take your time - If you need to make a quick decision to get an amazing deal, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. Take time to think about your pension and do as many checks as you need. 
  • Get advice - Before you start or change your pension, try to get as much impartial advice as you can. If you want to use a financial adviser, make sure they’re regulated by the FCA.

The FCA site has a register of companies who are allowed to offer products and services. It also gives advice on how to spot a scam and avoid fake companies. You can go to the FCA here.

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