Overview

• Vicki Jones, 44, was persuaded over a five-hour call to shift about £10,500 into a fake “holding account” after fraudsters posed as her bank and Action Fraud.
• Callers used withheld numbers, spoofed callback digits, card-reader and selfie checks and falsely claimed her banking app had been mirrored to secure her cooperation.
• The fraud came to light when Jones saw a TikTok warning, then her bank confirmed no “tier three digital fraud security team” exists and no genuine investigation took place.
• Action Fraud logged report NFRC250807542366 on August 8 and stated the case is being examined by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau at City of London Police.
• Merseyside Police and Action Fraud stress they will not make unsolicited calls or request bank details and urge people to report suspicious contacts via official channels.