67% of people in the East Midlands are concerned about loved ones falling victim to financial fraud but are failing to take action

67 per cent of people in the East Midlands are worried about their families falling victim to fraudsters, yet 68 per cent admit they have never discussed the simple steps they can take to protect themselves and those around them from financial fraud.

New research is being released to mark Take Five Day - the first time all the major banks along with building societies and other financial service providers have ever joined together for a national day of fraud awareness activity. Take Five Day is designed to encourage everyone to find out more about how they can protect themselves from financial fraud and takes place as official figures reveal that £768.8 million was lost to financial fraud in 20161.

Take Five Day, taking place on Thursday 16th March, is part of the Take Five campaign, launched by Financial Fraud Action UK and backed by all major banks and key financial services providers across the UK, including Santander. It aims to put consumers and businesses back in control with straight forward advice to help prevent financial fraud. Santander’s branches will be open five minutes early and the bank encourages consumers to visit their local bank branch to find out more about the most common scams and how to stay safe.

Richard Owen, Divisional Managing Director at Santander said: “We’re proud to take part in this important initiative to help the fight against financial fraud. Scams can come in many forms and falling victim can have devastating consequences. It is therefore so important that people make sure they’re aware of the different types of scams and know how to stay safe. On Take Five Day we’re encouraging everyone to talk to others and share the Take Five message - to pause and think before they respond to any financial requests or share any personal or financial details.”

The Take Five campaign is today reminding people in the East Midlands of the five simple steps everyone can take to protect themselves from financial fraud:

  1. Never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full banking password
     
  2. Don’t assume an email, text or phone call is authentic
     
  3. Don’t be rushed – a genuine organisation won’t mind waiting
     
  4. Listen to your instincts – you know if something doesn’t feel right   
     
  5. Stay in control – don’t panic and make a decision you’ll regret

For advice on how to protect themselves from financial fraud by visiting the campaign website www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk.

ENDS

The information contained in our press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions.

Notes to Editors

For further information including details on local interview and filming opportunities please contact sarah.webster@santander.co.uk

1Source: FFA UK fraud figures 2016

The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 2002 respondents aged 18+ in GB between 22.02.17 – 24.02.17. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.

The campaign is being primarily funded by FFA UK and its members. Cifas and the City of London Police have also made financial contributions to enable Take Five to happen.

Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK) is responsible for leading the collective fight against fraud in the UK payments industry. Its membership includes banks, credit, debit and charge card issuers, and card payment acquirers in the UK. It provides a forum for members to work together on non-competitive issues relating to financial fraud. Its primary function is to facilitate collaborative activity between industry participants and with other partners.

The campaign is being supported through the Joint Fraud Taskforce which is using the collective powers, systems and resources of government, law enforcement and industry to crack down on financial fraud. The Joint Fraud Taskforce exists to help protect the public from becoming victims of fraud and fraud scams, maximising opportunities to stop fraudsters from operating, and to catch and prosecute those who commit fraud.

Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. It has brought real competition to the UK, through its innovative products for retail customers and relationship banking model for UK SMEs. At 31 December 2016, the bank serves around 14 million active customers with c20,000 employees and operates through 841 branches (which includes 60 university branches) and 67 regional Corporate Business Centres. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in the UK. Santander UK plc customers are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the UK.

Banco Santander (SAN SM, STD US, BNC LN) is a leading retail and commercial bank, headquartered in Spain, with a meaningful market share in 10 core countries in Europe and the Americas. It is among the world’s top banks by market capitalization. The bank’s purpose is to help people and businesses prosper, in a way that is simple, personal and fair. Founded in 1857, Santander had EUR 1.52 trillion in managed funds, 125 million customers, 12,200 branches and 188,000 employees at the close of 2016. Santander made attributable profit of EUR 6,204 million in 2016, an increase of 4% compared to the previous year.


Media Enquiries
Sarah Webster
sarah.webster@santander.co.uk  
Tel: +44 (0) 207 756 5533 / Mob: +44 (0) 7568112529

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