What is fraud?
Fraud is an unlawful act by a person or association who acts in a false or deceitful way for their own gain. This could be to access data, money, property or important documents using false or stolen information.
How Norwich Trust works to prevent fraud
We take fraud prevention very seriously and implement several factors into our processes to prevent fraud and to act on and report it where necessary.
During the application process, a number of automatic and manual checks are completed to confirm a customer’s identity. These include checks with fraud prevention agencies, credit reference agencies and obtaining evidence, such as electronic identification and bank statements, to satisfy ourselves that the customer is who they say they are.
At the beginning of any new communication, our staff will also ask some security questions to confirm the customer’s identity. If a customer is unable to pass these checks, we will not discuss the account with them.
If a staff member suspects fraud based on any communication, activity or enquiry they are required to report this to our compliance team. These reports are investigated and if fraud or other unlawful activity is identified, the details are submitted to the relevant authority.
How do I protect myself against fraud?
Where possible, shred any paperwork which includes your name, address or other important details instead of just throwing it away.
If you receive a phone call, email or text message claiming to be your bank or another creditor never give them important information such as your card number, full password or PIN. If you’re in any doubt about whether the communication is genuine, contact the bank or creditor directly using the details on their official website or the phone number on the back of your card.
Check your credit report regularly and report any applications or accounts which you don’t recognise. You can check your report for free from Clear Score (Equifax), Credit Karma (TransUnion) and Experian.
Common types of fraud
Telephone Fraud
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from your bank or other known business, and they ask you to confirm personal information like your bank details or your online/mobile bank login details, this could be fraud.
If you’re unsure if the call is genuine, you can search the phone number online. Genuine businesses will usually have their contact numbers listed on their website for you to verify them.
Email fraud
Fraudsters may try and contact you via email, using a sender name and logo designed to look like a genuine business. To verify the sender, you can check the email address it was sent from. Genuine businesses will have branded domains such as norwichtrust.co.uk. Fraudulent emails are often sent from a generic email such as gmail.com or hotmail.com.
If you believe an email is attempting to scam you, you can forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk for the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate.
SMS fraud
As with emails, fraudsters may also send you a text message pretending to be a genuine business. If you receive an SMS asking you to follow a link to make a payment or verify your payment details, this could be a scam.
You can forward suspicious texts to 7726 which will allow your network provider to investigate.
Remember, if you’re ever in doubt, stop contact immediately. To check if the communication is genuine, you can contact the business directly using a phone number or email listed on their official website.
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, or even if you’re suspicious you can report the person or company directly to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre. You can contact them by calling 0300 123 2040 or visit their website.
What should I do if I suspect fraud
If you suspect someone has used your details fraudulently you should contact the company as soon as possible. Businesses are obliged to investigate all claims of fraud, no matter who it is that reports them. You can also report this directly to Action Fraud. You can contact them by calling 0300 123 2040 or visit their website.
If you’re concerned about an email or phone call from Norwich Trust or you suspect someone has pretended to be you to apply for a loan with us, please contact us immediately.
If you feel you or someone else is in immediate danger, please don’t hesitate to call the police on 999.