TSB Scam Text UK: Spot a Fake Bank SMS
Criminals are sending fake TSB text messages that look almost identical to genuine bank alerts—here's how to tell the difference.
What a fake TSB text looks like
A TSB scam text is a smishing message that pretends to be from TSB so you tap a link and hand over login, card, or personal details. Common hooks are suspicious activity, a blocked account, or a payment you need to "confirm" or "cancel". An example of the style is: TSB: A payment of £450 is pending on your account. If this wasn't you, cancel it now: tsb-secure-login.example.
The link opens a fake TSB login page. TSB does send genuine texts, so the red flag is not the channel — it is an unexpected message asking you to log in or confirm details through a link.
Why these texts fool people
A payment or account alert creates instant concern, and the threat of a blocked account adds urgency. The sender ID and link can both be made to look official, mirroring TSB's real branding closely.
The reliable check is to go to the source yourself: open the TSB app or type tsb.co.uk into your browser directly, rather than tapping a link in a text, to see your genuine account and recent activity.
Signs a TSB text is a scam
- It claims a payment needs to be confirmed or cancelled through a link.
- It says your account is blocked, limited, or under review.
- It asks you to log in or "verify" your details through a link.
- The link is not tsb.co.uk (a lookalike such as
tsb-secure-login.example). - It gives a short deadline to act.
- It arrives from an unfamiliar number, or the sender looks plausible but the link or request is unusual.
- It pressures you to act before checking your real account.
How the scam works
First, a text claims a payment or account problem. Second, urgency pushes you to tap the link. Third, a fake TSB login page captures your details. Fourth, criminals use them to access your real account or commit card fraud. Fifth, they may follow up by phone pretending to be TSB fraud prevention.
Checking directly in the TSB app or on tsb.co.uk, rather than tapping the link, breaks the chain.
How to check a TSB text safely
Do not tap the link or call a number from the text.
- Open the TSB app or type tsb.co.uk yourself and check your account and recent transactions there.
- Never enter your login, card, or personal details on a page you reached from a text.
- If you think a payment or your card is affected, call TSB using the number on your card or 159.
- Treat any unexpected "blocked account" or "confirm payment" message with suspicion.
If you are unsure whether a linked page is genuine, our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy helps, and our HSBC Scam Call UK: Spot a Fake Fraud Team Call and Santander Phone Scam UK: What the Callers Say and How to Hang Up Safely guides cover the same bank-impersonation pattern by phone.
If you tapped the link or shared details
If you entered your login or card details, contact TSB immediately using the number on your card or 159, tell them it was a scam, and ask them to secure your account. If you sent money by UK bank transfer on or after 7 October 2024, mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules may apply to Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers. The PSR rules include a 13-month claim window, a maximum claim amount of £85,000, possible exclusions, and a possible excess of up to £100. Report it to your bank as soon as possible.
Change your TSB password through the app or tsb.co.uk directly. If you shared personal information, consider Cifas Protective Registration at cifas.org.uk and monitor your credit reports with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Keep the text as evidence.
How to report a TSB scam text (UK)
Forward the scam text to 7726 so your mobile provider can investigate. TSB also asks customers to forward suspicious email or text details to emailscams@tsb.co.uk. If the same scam reached you by email, forward it to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk.
If you lost money or shared sensitive information, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. Keep the original message and any screenshots.
Frequently asked questions
Does TSB send texts, or is every TSB text a scam?
TSB does send genuine texts, so the channel alone is not proof. Treat any message that asks you to log in or confirm details through a link as a scam, and check your account through the TSB app or tsb.co.uk instead.
A text says my TSB account is blocked — is that real?
Check it yourself in the TSB app or on tsb.co.uk rather than tapping the link. A genuine account issue is visible in your account or app, not resolved through a texted link with a short deadline.
A text asks me to 'confirm' or 'cancel' a payment — should I tap the link?
No. Never confirm or cancel a payment through a link in a text. Check your real account in the TSB app, and if you think a payment is genuinely suspicious, call TSB using the number on your card or 159.
I entered my login on a TSB-looking site — what now?
Contact TSB immediately using the number on your card or 159 to secure your account, and change your password through the official app or website. If you shared personal details, consider Cifas Protective Registration and monitor your credit reports.
How do I report a TSB scam text?
Forward it to 7726 and send the details to TSB at emailscams@tsb.co.uk. If you lost money or shared details, report it to Report Fraud in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland.