Scam alert: Latest digital threats

Stay alert to digital scams

These scams are designed to trick you into clicking malicious links, sharing sensitive information or making payments to fraudsters. The most common scams this year include:

• AI-generated phishing emails impersonating banks, retailers and service providers
• Fake package delivery alerts from companies like DPD and Evri, asking you to click links or pay fees
• Fraudulent parking fine texts claiming to be from DVSA or local councils, threatening penalties unless paid immediately
• Invoice scams targeting individuals and businesses with fake payment requests
• ‘Too good to be true’ e-commerce sites offering luxury goods at huge discounts
• QR code phishing, where scanning a code leads to a fake login or payment page
• Social media impersonation of friends, influencers or brands
• Crypto-related scams promising high returns or urgent investment opportunities
• Fake tech support or bank alerts claiming your account has been compromised.

 

How to spot a scam

• Urgent or threatening language — Scammers often claim your account will be suspended, a payment has failed or you must act immediately. Take a moment to verify before clicking.
• Suspicious sender details — Check the sender’s email address or phone number carefully. Fraudsters often use addresses that look similar to legitimate ones.
• Unusual links or attachments — Hover over links before clicking to see where they lead. If the URL looks odd or doesn’t match the company’s official website, don’t click on it.
• Requests for personal or financial information — Legitimate organisations will never ask for passwords, PINs or full card details via email or SMS.
• Poor grammar or formatting — Many scam messages contain spelling mistakes, inconsistent branding or strange formatting — all signs of a potential scam.
• Unsecure or cloned websites — A padlock icon and ‘https://’ mean the site is encrypted — but that doesn’t guarantee it’s safe. Scammers can still create secure-looking fake sites, so always check the full URL and look for signs it might be cloned.
• Unusual payment methods — Be cautious if asked to pay via bank transfer, cryptocurrency or to a personal account. These are common tactics used by fraudsters.

 

If you click a malicious link, fill out a fraudulent form or share personal details with scammers, you may be targeted again — often by phone. One common tactic is a follow-up call from someone impersonating your bank, for example claiming to be from Weatherbys. These calls may sound convincing and refer to the earlier scam to build trust.

 

Please remember

Weatherbys will never contact you directly in response to a scam. We will never ask you:

• for your online banking password
• for any one-time passcodes
• to move money to a ‘safe account’.

If you are ever unsure of the legitimacy of any link, website, company, advert, email or text you come across, please ask us to take a look by sending it to fraud@weatherbys.bank, or by asking your private banking team or relationship manager to forward it to us.

If you think you have been a victim of any type of scam, again, please speak to your private banking team or relationship manager. You can also contact the Private Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 600 or the Racing Bank on +44 (0) 1933 543 543.