159 is the three-digit code that could protect you from fraud

Why everyone should be aware of the number 159 since it may prevent con artists from taking money from your bank account

However, how does it function and when is it appropriate to use it?

A single three-digit number could keep you from becoming a victim, but no one is safe from scammers.

According to the most recent Crime Survey for England and Wales, over four million fraud cases were reported in the year ending in September 2025, an increase of 8% over the previous 12 months. Scammers will take advantage of every chance to steal from you.

This included a 5 percent increase in consumer and retail scams, with 1.1 million incidents reported, and a 19 percent increase in bank and credit account fraud, with approximately 2.6 million cases reported.

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Start your trial Everybody has received a call from someone posing as their bank, but how can you tell if it's genuine or not?

159 enters the picture here. It appears that not many people are aware of the number, despite it being a part of a massive effort to fight fraud.

This is all the information you need to understand the number, how it functions, and how to use it to thwart con artists.

159what is it?

Stop Scams UK, a group of banks, building societies, tech companies, and phone companies, created the three-digit number to provide customers with a fast way to determine whether a suspicious text message or call might be fraudulent.

It was introduced to stop banking clients from becoming victims of impersonation scams, in which a con artist calls or texts you under the guise of your bank and demands that you take action.

A scammer claiming that fraud has been found on your account and that you must transfer funds to a different bank account is one example.

Stop Scams UK claims that by encouraging people to use the slogan "Stop, hang up, call 159," the number aims to end the scam journey.

Although there have been several fraud incidents involving investment and pension scams, 159 has been established to combat banking scams.

Since its launch in 2021, 159 has received over a million calls. The majority of UK bank clients have access to the number.

The cost of calls to the number varies based on your phone provider.

After dialing 159, you will typically be prompted to choose the bank you are a customer of before being routed to its fraud team, who will verify whether the call or message was authentic.

Which banks participate in 159?

According to Stop Scams UK, the 159 number links clients of over 99 percent of retail bank current accounts in the UK with their bank.

Any of the banks listed below can be reached by calling any of the major UK phone companies. BT (including EE and Plusnet), Gamma, O2 (including Giff Gaff), Sky, Three, Vodafone, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media make up the complete list.

The complete list of banks and building societies that can be reached at this number is provided below.

Barclays Cater Allen Private Bank Chase Co-operative Bank Danske Bank First Direct Halifax HSBC Lloyds Metro Bank Modulr Monzo Nationwide Building Society NatWest Revolut Royal Bank of Scotland Santander Spring Starling Bank Tide True Potential TSB Ulster Bank Virgin Money Zempler Bank.

If you suspect an investment or pension scam, who should you contact?

Pension and investment services are not covered by 159, but banks are.

The best course of action is to hang up if someone calls you claiming to be your pension or investment provider and you're suspicious; if it's a text message, ignore it. Next, you should give your investment broker or pension provider a call at their official number.

It is usually a scam if you are being coerced into giving up your money.

You can report the incident to Report Fraud, the UK's national fraud and cybercrime reporting center, if it turns out that the contact was an attempt by a scammer.

Report Fraud can be contacted by phone at 0300 123 2040 or through their website.

In addition, the Financial Conduct Authority launched a scam checker tool in 2025 and has a list of known pension and investment scams on its website.

Nevertheless, dial 159 if the fraudulent call requires you to make a bank transfer or if the security of your bank account may be jeopardized.