ISLANDERS are being warned to be “vigilant” after Jersey businesses lost nearly £1 million to an online banking scam in a week.
The scam begins with a phone call claiming to be from the NatWest fraud team, according to the States police.
The scammer then claims there is a problem with the company’s bank account, and asks a member of staff to log in to their online banking.
The police explained that the fraudster then tells the staff member that they are on the wrong screen, and instructs them to open a new tab and enter a different website address.
This web address is fake, and enables the scammer to gain control of the company’s bank account and transfer funds out of it.
In a statement, the police said: “We have been made aware of another scam targeting local businesses and, in the last week, just under £1 million has been lost to this scam.” They added: “Please be vigilant and never act on any request or give anyone remote access to your device.
“A bank will never ask a customer to download anything or ask them to log in to any specific websites.
“If a customer is unsure or wants to double-check, they should terminate the call and contact their bank on their published number on a separate phone.”
Anyone who thinks they may have been targeted by fraudsters, or fallen victim to a scam, is urged to report it to the States of Jersey Police on 612612.
