Fraud protection | How we protect you against fraud | Barclays (2024)

We’re always checking for any suspicious activity on your account, so you may get a text message or call from our automated system to confirm a recent transaction or a change of address.

Sometimes, we may delay or decline transactions that we think are unusual, or even block your account until we can confirm that you’re making the transaction. Keep your contact details up to date so we can get in contact quickly to keep any inconvenience to a minimum.

What to expect if we contact you

If we do call, we’ll never ask for your passcodes, passwords, PIN, card details, PINsentry codes or sensitive account information. If we send you a text message, we’ll only ask you to reply with a ‘Y’ or an ‘N’. (These text messages are free to reply to in the UK and will cost no more than a standard text from other countries).

If you get a call, voicemail or a text from someone claiming to be from our fraud team and you think it’s suspicious, call us back using the number on the back of your card. Always make sure the line is clear first, to ensure the fraudster isn’t still on the line.

Our PINsentry gives you a strong layer of protection to add to your log-in details, and helps keep your accounts even safer.

It works by asking you to insert your Barclays debit card and PIN into a card reader that we send you. The reader generates a unique security code that you'll then need to type into Online Banking. And if you register for our app, you can get the code on your smartphone using Mobile PINsentry. That way, you get the extra security when logging in without needing to carry your card reader around.

When you use our Online Banking services or the Barclays app, you're protected by our guarantee.

This means that if you tell us a payment from your account wasn’t authorised and ask us for a refund, we’ll reverse the transaction as soon as we can – though there are some exceptions to this.

For instance, we might not offer a refund if we think you’ve acted without reasonable care – by giving someone else your card PIN, for example, or by keeping your PIN written down with your card.

To give you more protection against fraud, the way you pay online has changed.

New rules on payment services mean you’ll sometimes be asked to prove it really is you when making some online purchases.

You’ll have a choice of three ways to confirm it’s you

• The Barclays app (make a few taps on your screen)
• Text message (type in a code sent to your mobile)
• PINsentry card reader (use it with your card to generate a code)

The quickest and easiest way to confirm is by using the Barclays app.

Find out more on how the changes could affect you.

We’ve put three lines of defence in place to make it harder for fraudsters to get through.

• Data encryption – for your protection, our Online Banking service scrambles any information you send us
• Timed log out – we’ll log you out if you don't use the service for 10 minutes. This gives you extra protection if you forget to log yourself out
• Deactivation of your log-in details – we'll automatically disable your access to Online Banking if 3 incorrect log-in attempts are made. This is to stop fraudsters making repeated attempts to get into your accounts