The Scariest Scams Aren’t Always Obvious: How to Stay Safe When Paying Online 

You may be told: 

• your account has been suspended; 
• a payment needs to be cancelled immediately; 
• you are due a refund; 
• you need to confirm your personal details; 
• your money needs to be moved to a "safe account". 

If a message makes you feel pressured to act immediately, stop and check it independently. 

Do not reply using the contact details provided in the message. Instead, contact the organisation using a phone number, website or app you already know to be genuine. The FCA specifically recommends independently verifying communications when you are unsure whether they really came from your bank. 

Never share your verification code 

Sometimes a suspicious message is followed by a phone call. 

Someone may claim to be from your bank and say they are helping you protect your account. During the conversation, you might receive a verification code by SMS or email. 

They may then ask you to read the code back to them. 

Do not share it. 

Your verification code is there to protect your account. We will never ask you to provide your verification code, PIN, password or login information by phone, email, Live Chat or another communication channel. We will also never ask you to move your money to another account because of a supposed security issue. 

If someone claiming to represent iFAST Global Bank asks you for any of these details, end the conversation and contact us through our official channels. 

Check before you confirm a payment 

Scammers often depend on speed. 

Once someone has convinced you that a payment is urgent, it can be tempting to complete it quickly. That is why one of the simplest ways to protect yourself is to pause before you press confirm. 

Ask yourself: 

Do I know who I am paying? 
Make sure the person or business is who you expect. 

Are the payment details correct? 
Check the recipient, amount and currency carefully. 

Was I expecting this request? 
Be particularly cautious if payment instructions arrive unexpectedly. 

Has someone changed their bank details? 
If a business, supplier or someone you know suddenly asks you to send money to a different account, verify the change separately. 

Am I being rushed? 
Pressure, secrecy and urgency are common techniques used by fraudsters. 

A legitimate payment should still make sense after you have taken a moment to check it. 

An investment opportunity that looks too good to be true? 

Not every investment opportunity is as promising as it appears. 

Fraudsters may advertise fake investment opportunities through social media, online advertisements or messaging platforms, sometimes impersonating legitimate financial firms or investment professionals. 

They may promise unusually high returns, show fake profits or pressure you to invest quickly before an opportunity disappears. 

Before sending money towards an investment, take a moment to check: 

• Is the company genuine? Check the FCA Firm Checker and Warning List. Be aware that scammers may impersonate authorised firms. 
• Are the returns realistic? Be cautious of investments promising guaranteed profits or unusually high returns with little or no risk. 
• Are you being pressured? Fraudsters often create urgency to discourage you from checking the details. 

Remember, even a professional-looking website or convincing investment adviser can be part of a scam. 

If you are unsure, do not transfer your money until you have independently verified the opportunity.  

Be careful who you allow to access your account 

Your bank account contains sensitive personal and financial information. Giving someone else access could put both your money and personal details at risk. 

Fraudsters may pose as financial advisers, technical support representatives or trusted organisations, claiming they need access to your account to help you complete a transaction, resolve an issue or manage your money. 

They may ask you to share your login credentials, approve an unexpected access request or install software that allows them to control your device remotely. 

Never share your banking passwords, PINs or verification codes with another person. 

Some regulated third-party providers can legitimately access certain banking services with your permission. However, you should always verify who you are dealing with and understand what access you are authorising. 

If someone unexpectedly asks to access your iFAST Global Bank account, do not proceed until you have verified the request through a trusted channel. 

If you suspect someone else has gained access to your account, contact us through our official support channels as soon as possible.  

Something feels wrong? Stop 

You do not need to be certain that something is a scam before deciding not to continue. 

If the website address looks unusual, the payment details have changed or someone is putting pressure on you to send money, stop. 

Some scams involve unauthorised transactions. Others involve convincing the customer to authorise the payment themselves. This is commonly known as authorised push payment, or APP, fraud. 

Stopping before the money leaves your account is always easier than trying to recover it afterwards. 

Think you have been scammed? Act quickly 

If you think your iFAST Global Bank account may have been compromised, or you notice a transaction you do not recognise, contact us as soon as possible. 

You can reach us through our official Live Chat or contact our fraud support team. If necessary, we can take steps to help protect your account. 

If you have lost money to fraud in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you should also report it to Report Fraud, the UK's national reporting service for fraud and cyber crime. In Scotland, reports should be made to Police Scotland. 

Suspicious websites and phishing messages can also be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre. Reporting them can help authorities investigate malicious websites and protect other people from encountering the same scam. 

Stop. Check. Confirm. 

Online scams continue to change, but the habits that help protect you are often surprisingly simple. 

Think before clicking an unexpected link. Check who you are paying. Keep verification codes and login details private. And if something does not feel right, stop and verify it through a trusted channel. 

The scariest scams may not always be obvious. 

But taking a moment to stop, check and confirm can make them much harder to fall for.