Warning: Increased Banking Scams and Phishing Attempts Targeting Jersey Businesses

The Jersey Chamber of Commerce wishes to alert all businesses in Jersey to an alarming increase in banking scams and phishing attempts, as reported by Jersey Police and local banks. These fraudulent activities pose significant risks to the security and financial stability of our business community.

Recent reports indicate that cybercriminals are employing sophisticated tactics to deceive businesses into divulging sensitive information or making unauthorised financial transactions. These scams often appear as legitimate communications from trusted financial institutions or known business contacts.

Common Scam Techniques:

• Phishing Emails: Fraudulent emails designed to look like they are from a trusted source, requesting personal or financial information.
• Phone Scams: Calls from individuals posing as bank representatives or business partners, seeking confidential information or immediate payments.
• Invoice Fraud: Fake invoices or payment requests that appear to be from legitimate suppliers or service providers.

Protective Measures: To safeguard your business against these threats, we recommend the following actions:

• Verify Authenticity: Always confirm the identity of the sender or caller through official channels before responding to any requests for information or payments. End the call and call your bank.
• Avoid giving any information: Do not give banking information over the phone or filling out information via links provided that pretend to be official banking sites.
• Educate Employees: Ensure that all staff members are aware of these scams and trained to recognise suspicious activities.
• Implement Security Protocols: Use multi-factor authentication, regularly update passwords, and install reliable security software to protect your systems.
• Report Suspicious Activity: Immediately report any suspected scams to Jersey Police and inform your bank.

Stay Informed:

Keep abreast of the latest advisories from Jersey Police and from your local bank. Regular updates and resources are available to help you stay vigilant and protected against these evolving threats.

In a statement, the States of Jersey Police said: “We have been made aware of another scam targeting local businesses and, in the last week, just under £1 million has been lost to this scam.

The scammer claims there is a problem with the company’s bank account, and asks a member of staff to log in to their online banking. The police explained that the fraudster then tells the staff member that they are on the wrong screen, instructing them to open a new tab and enter a different website address. This web address is fake and enables the scammer to gain control of the company’s bank account and transfer funds out of it.”

They added: “Please be vigilant and never act on any request or give anyone remote access to your device. A bank will never ask a customer to download anything or ask them to log in to any specific websites. If a customer is unsure or wants to double-check, they should terminate the call and contact their bank on their published number on a separate phone.”

Anyone who thinks they may have been targeted by fraudsters, or fallen victim to a scam, is urged to report it to the States of Jersey Police on 612612.

The Jersey Chamber of Commerce CEO Murray Norton: “This is a very real challenge for the business community and in a busy working environment, it is so easy to think the call is genuine. By remaining vigilant and proactive, we can collectively mitigate the risks posed by these fraudulent activities. We are very saddened and concerned for those who have already been scammed out of large sums of money”

For further assistance or to report a scam, please contact Jersey Police or your bank directly.

Stay safe and secure.