Martin Lewis has revealed a phone trick that bank customers should use to avoid being scammed.
The Money Saving Expert has told consumers that they should dial 1-5-9 if they want to phone their bank, in an effort to prevent people from accidentally speaking to scammers.
The scheme, which was launched by Stop Scams UK, provides a safe route to get in touch with your bank if you believe you’ve been contacted by imposters.
When calling 159, customers will be asked to provide the name of the bank they want to be connected to, either by saying it out loud or using a keypad.
They will then be connected to the bank’s customer service department.
"This is done as an anti-scam and anti-fraud initiative, so that you can always get through to a legitimate number without having to look it up," Mr Lewis said.
"Just remember '159'. It's done so you can call them both generally but most especially if you get a call from your bank [and] you're not sure it's really them."
Stop Scam UK has said it has received one million calls since it launched in 2021.
The advice comes as fraud cases in England and Wales surged by more than 1 million last year, with some victims losing tens of thousands of pounds to scammers.
In 2024, there was a 33 per cent rise in fraud incidents compared to the previous year, rising from an estimated 3 million cases to 4.1 million, according to new data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).
According to Mr Lewis’s website, if you think you’ve been scammed you should end all further communication with the scammer immediately, then call 159 if you’ve provided your card or bank details.
You can then let your bank know about any money you've lost and ask it to cancel any payments that haven't yet been made.
You should then report the scam via the Action Fraud website and use Section 75 if you’ve been scammed when paying for something costing more than £100 on a credit card.
For more help and support, you can contact Citizens Advice.
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