Overview
- MoneySavingExpert posted guidance on X on Thursday urging people who receive a call from their bank that 'doesn't feel quite right' to hang up and dial 159 to verify the contact.
- Dialling 159 routes callers through a short‑code service that asks them to pick their bank and then transfers them to that bank’s fraud team for confirmation.
- Martin Lewis and MSE warn that the method is not foolproof because sophisticated scammers can spoof callback tones, ringtones and even answers to make a fake line seem genuine.
- To reduce the risk of spoofing, MSE recommends using another phone to call 159, calling a friend’s phone first to check what answer rings back, or waiting 20–30 minutes before calling 159 on the same device.
- Stop Scams UK and others set up 159 to fight bank‑imposter scams and the advice arrives as reports show large losses to phone fraud, underlining why simple verification steps and extra caution matter for people’s finances.