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Police have urged islanders to be vigilant after local businesses lost almost £1 million to an online banking scam in just one week.
In a statement issued today, the States of Jersey 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!"
Police explained that the scam begins with a phone call from someone claiming to be from the NatWest fraud team.
The scammer says that there is a problem with the company's bank account, and asks a member of staff to log in to their online banking.
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.
Police said: "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 login 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."
The Jersey Chamber of Commerce CEO Murray Norton commented: “This is a very real challenge for the business community and in a busy working environment, it is so easy to think the call is genuine. By remaining vigilant and proactive, we can collectively mitigate the risks posed by these fraudulent activities.
"We are very saddened and concerned for those who have already been scammed out of large sums of money”
Each bank has its own security tips – click to find your own: Santander International, RBSI/NatWest International, HSBC Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank, Barclays.
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.
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