Nationwide has launched a new tool in its banking app designed to help customers identify fraudulent calls.
The Call Checker feature allows users to confirm whether the person on the line is genuinely from Nationwide or a potential scammer.
This comes as research from the bank shows that the average UK adult receives around eight scam calls each month, roughly two per week.
While people of all ages are targeted, those over 65 are disproportionately affected, representing 55 per cent of reported victims.
Younger and middle-aged adults are also at risk. Around 16 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds and 19 per cent of those aged 50 to 65 have fallen victim to scams, losing money from their accounts.
The Call Checker tool works alongside Nationwide’s existing Scam Checker service, which is already used by roughly 100,000 people and prevents an estimated £300,000 each month from falling into criminals’ hands.
The new feature allows customers to instantly verify the authenticity of a call through the banking app.
Fraudsters are increasingly bold, pressuring victims to share personal information (50 per cent), security codes (34 per cent), transfer funds (31 per cent), or even mislead their own bank or building society (15 per cent).
By encouraging people to lie, often suggesting the payment is for a friend or relative, scammers can access accounts while bypassing the strict safeguards normally applied to high-risk transactions such as investments.
The research, conducted in December by Censuswide, surveyed 2,000 people.
Jim Winters, director of economic crime at Nationwide, said in a statement: “Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and impersonation calls are one of the most common ways they trick people into handing over money.
“We are programmed to trust people and when someone uses clever tactics and well-practised scripts – often putting us under pressure or making us panic – it can be hard to know who to trust.
“Our call checker feature gives our customers peace of mind by confirming if a call is genuine or not. It’s a simple and effective step that could prevent someone from becoming the next crime statistic.”
How to use the Call Checker feature
Customers can use the feature by opening the Nationwide app, selecting More, and then Call Checker.
The app will instantly confirm whether the call is genuine, displaying either “You’re on a call with Alex” or “You’re not on a call with us.”