‘Bank accounts are being deleted’ are three messages

Experts are warning about three scam messages that could ruin your bank account after an elderly man was swindled just weeks before his death. Internet fraud cost victims hundreds of billions worldwide last year, with more than half of adults reporting being targeted in the past 12 months.

Cybersecurity company NordVPN said that scam texts have become so sophisticated that spelling and grammar mistakes are no longer reliable indicators that something is fraudulent. Instead, cybersecurity experts say there are now three key warning signs Brits should look out for in messages purporting to come from banks, courier companies or official bodies such as HMRC.

The first is urgency. Articles that suggest your account will be suspended, payment will fail, or package will be returned unless you respond immediately are designed to scare people into making rash decisions.

The second is an unexpected link or phone number. If the message tells you to click on a link or call a number you weren’t expecting, experts say alarm bells should be ringing, especially if it says it’s from your bank, Royal Mail, Evri, DPD or a government agency.

The third is fear. Fraudsters often try to scare people into responding by warning them of suspicious account activity, missing legal obligations or a security issue that needs immediate attention.

Marijus Briedis, the chief technology officer at NordVPN, warned: “Spoof texts may be visible at one time, but not anymore. They can be very complex and very convincing when you look at them for the first time, especially with an untrained eye or if you do not find them often.

“What usually gives them away isn’t bad spelling or weirdness. It’s pressure. The message wants you to do something quickly, before you have time to stop and think.

“They also tend to be emotional. The message is written to make you worry that money has left your account, you missed a payment, or something went wrong with the delivery.”

He strongly advised against clicking on links, calling written numbers or allowing yourself to rush, adding that any fact can be verified through the company’s official website or app. NordVPN has launched a free scam checker tool that enables users to type in suspicious text or upload a screenshot to see if it’s a scam.

The firm said the service can scan text and image files and links to various references, email addresses and phone numbers against known malicious databases. The development follows a woman revealing that her father-in-law was tricked into paying after pranksters attacked him shortly before his death. The fraud only came to light when family members checked his documents.

Debbie Porter, managing director of Destination Digital Marketing, said: “My father-in-law was defrauded a few weeks before he died and, being an old man, he was hopeful. While going through his papers, we found a payment from his bank account which led to its discovery.

Debbie explained that knowing the warning signs of fraud is the first step in preventing others from suffering the same fate as her father-in-law.

He added: “Almost all urgent ‘pay now’ messages should be treated with a high degree of vigilance. If it’s from a business you’ve bought from, then independently researching the company’s phone number and calling them directly instead of text is the best approach every time. This new scam checker tool from NordVPN is a good idea if it helps people avoid the trap my grandfather’s.”

This comes against the backdrop of growing concerns about artificial intelligence’s involvement in digital fraud, with experts warning that criminals can now produce highly persuasive messages in large numbers.

Dil Gujral, chief AI trainer at AI Now Academy, said: “If you think scam texts are bad, wait until they start using AI to pose as family members for fraud.”

Rohit Parmar-Mistry, founder of Burton-on-Trent-based Pattrn Data, explained that scam messages are now being crafted to look like normal service notifications. He said: “Advice like this is important because scam texts now look and feel like real service messages. The language is polished, the name of the sender can be spoiled, and the story is designed to make you act before you think. Rushing along with the link is an old trap.

“My simple rule is: don’t interact with the message. Don’t click on the link, don’t reply, and don’t call the listed number. Instead, go to the organization through a channel you already trust.”

He suggested that people also get involved in filtering spam, keeping their phone and banking apps up to date, setting up account alerts and using two-factor authentication where possible. However, not everyone believes that the responsibility should be only with the public.

Colette Mason, author and AI consultant at Clever Clogs AI in London, explained that scam articles are on the rise as an “infrastructure problem” rather than just a matter of human awareness.

He said: “The person who falls doesn’t care. It’s a frustrated parent at school, or someone who is genuinely worried about an unnecessary birth. Until the fundamentals change, ‘beware of haste and dodgy links’ is the plaster that sticks to the building wound.”