Vishing is where a fraudster uses voice messages or phone calls to try to steal identities, and financial information like your PIN, card details and Digipass code.

The term comes from the combination of ‘phishing’ and ‘voice’. Phishing is where fraudsters use email, regular phone calls and fake websites to dupe people into giving them personal details and financial information.

Vishing is specifically the use of a VOIP service (Voice Over Internet Protocol, or an internet phone service), which enables fraudsters to communicate with their potential victims via automated voice messages and the phone keypad.

Vishers can create fake caller ID profiles so that their phone number seems legitimate, and vishing requests sound urgent, to panic the victim into acting without thinking.

 Examples of vishing:

• Your bank account has been compromised
  You receive call from what appears to be Triodos Bank’s phone number. When you answer, you hear a recording pretending to be from Triodos, saying that your bank account has been compromised, and you need to call a freephone number to reset your security details. Calling this number, you would hear another automated message asking for your bank account number, Digipass code or other personal details via the phone keypad.
• You’re eligible for a loan
  You are offered loan or credit terms too good to be true (they probably are), and to receive the money, you just need to pay an upfront fee or provide your security details.
• You’re due a refund
  You receive a message that says you are due a refund. This is usually someone claiming to be from a trusted organisation. If you opt in – usually by pressing a number on your telephone - you will be redirected to a call centre agent who will attempt to defraud you or steal your information.
• Don’t miss this investment opportunity
  An automated voice message tells you about an investment opportunity too good to turn down. You’ll be encouraged to transfer money to invest in a company or service that doesn’t exist.
• You’ve won a prize
  Victims hear an automated voice message about a free offer or prize, and just need to pay postage, redemption or admin fees to claim. There’s often a deadline to hurry people into handing over their card details.

What you can do

If you receive an unexpected phone call with an automated response, hang up, search for the company’s genuine contact details online and check whether the call was legitimate. If it was, the company will be able to help you, and if it was a vishing attempt, letting the company know enables them to take action, and you will have protected yourself from fraud.

If the call relates to an investment opportunity, check the FCA register to see if the investor is regulated, and confirm the company exists by checking Companies House.

How to report a vishing scam

If you think you have been a victim of a vishing attack, call us immediately on 0330 355 0355. Then report to the FCA using their reporting form.

If you have lost money to suspected investment fraud, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

We will not charge you for cash withdrawals from any ATM in the UK. However, some ATM providers may charge for using their machines to withdraw cash. There is a charge for withdrawing cash from abroad, please see our tariff for details.

As you'd expect from a bank, we take security very seriously - here are some things we do to keep you safe. To help you spot fraud, we’d also like you to know the things we’d never do.

• Provide around the clock debit card transaction monitoring
• We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for all calls relating to debit card queries (such as lost or stolen cards)
• Give you the ability to block your card by sending us a text message
• Temporarily block accounts and debit cards if fraudulent activity is suspected
• Log you out of internet banking and the app after a period of inactivity
• Keep you up-to-date with the fraud protection advice
• Use a secure three-stage log in with a digipass for personal current account holders
• As a personal account customer you can receive alerts by text message when online or card transactions are made
• Temporarily suspend your internet banking if left dormant for a long time
• Only contact you via your registered details

We will never contact you out of the blue to ask you:

• for your digipass PIN
• for your card number or PIN
• for your mobile app passcode
• to transfer money out of your account
• to click a link in an email to our internet banking

If in doubt, call us on the number on our website, or delete the email without opening it.

Learn more about how to stay safe online or visit the action fraud website.

Yes, there are charges for foreign payments. Transactions will be processed using the exchange rate set by Mastercard.

To calculate how much your transaction could cost you use our currency conversion calculator. 

See our tariff of charges for full details or the Fee Information Document for more information.

Yes, cheque books are not issued automatically as we understand that some customers do not require them. If you would like to order one please call our contact team on 0330 355 0355 to request one or send a secure message in Internet Banking.

Yes, you can split your ISA allowance into different types of ISA: Cash, Stocks & Shares, Lifetime, and Innovative Finance.

Cash cannot be paid in to the Triodos Current Account. You can make payments into your Triodos Current Account by bank transfer or online. If you wish to pay a cheque into your account, you can send them via our freepost service to our office in Bristol - Freepost TRIODOS BANK. Please include the sort code and account number of the account you wish the cheque to be credited to.

Please note that in order to protect our staff and to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, all our offices are closed to visitors from the general public at this time. This means it is not possible to deliver cheques to our office in person.

We support charities, social enterprises, mission-aligned “for profit” businesses and renewable energy projects to raise “non-bank” finance. A typical client is one who has a clear commercial proposition with equally clear social, cultural or environmental impact and who needs a form of finance that banks are typically unwilling to provide.

Many of our clients start by seeking bank debt but, often, lack the security or collateral required by those banks. Nonetheless, that does not mean they are not able to raise and service capital to grow and achieve sustainability – they simply need an alternative form of finance, often from alternative sources. It’s typically our role to help them access this capital.

When it comes to capital raising we:

• Help our clients get investment ready – meaning that when they approach the investor market they stand the best chance of securing investment. This may involve writing business plans, building financial models to help forecast future performance, advising on suitable governance structures etc;
• Advise on the right form of capital for the organisation and the best source of that capital;
• Advise on the optimal terms of any capital and help negotiate with investors to secure those terms.

Fraudsters often look for data on people that they can use to impersonate or defraud them.

They may research you or your colleagues, so we advise that you educate your staff about protecting their data and ensure they are fraud aware too.

What kind of data might a fraudster steal?

• Personal details, such as your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number.
• Contact details like your mobile phone, landline, work number and email address(es).
• Memorable information used for security and passwords, such as mother’s maiden name, schools or university attended, pet names, car makes and names of family members.
• Your bank account number, sort code and card details.
• PINs, passwords, Digipass number or other login details.

Ways fraudsters might get hold of your data:

• Social media and online forums – LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit – all public platforms could hold a wealth of information about you, your employees, your business and your customers.
• Your company website – if your business has a website, consider what information you include. We advise you not to put your bank details on your website, as fraudsters can use this to impersonate you or your bank.
• Competitions and quizzes – particularly those found on social media websites.
• Calling you and pretending to be a trusted organisation.
• Companies who sell your email address or phone number - always read terms and conditions when signing up for a product or service.
• Bank statements, post and paper documents. Always lock away documents that hold sensitive information and destroy them when no longer required.
• Hacking into email accounts. Ensure your IT systems are secure and be wary of using shared internet connections outside of work. Consider that your suppliers, customers and partners can also have their emails hacked. We recommend that you do not share sensitive data via email – if you need to, encrypt the information with a password.
  

Money mules are people used to help launder money, often without realising that’s what they’re doing. They help move illegitimate funds (money gained illegally) between accounts so that the money then appears to be legitimate. They may be asked to receive money into their account, then withdraw it and put it into another account, sometimes in another country. Sometimes the money mules are offered compensation or commission.

Even if money mules don’t know the money they’re transferring is fraudulent, they are still committing fraud and money laundering, and could be sentenced to time in prison or to pay a fine.

Money mules are often recruited into this activity through false job adverts, or social media posts that promote quick money-making opportunities. Sometimes they are duped by fake social media profiles that pretend to want a romantic relationship with the victim to gain their trust and affection before asking this favour or blackmailing them. This is also known as romance fraud.

Never move money between accounts you don’t know and trust, especially because someone else has asked you to, or if you don’t know where that money has come from. If you are suspicious of money laundering, call us immediately on 0330 355 0355.

Identity fraud happens when someone steals and uses your personal information to buy products or services. They get hold of this information in many ways - taking post from your bin, looking for information about you online, or contacting you directly, pretending to be from a real organisation.

There are several things you can do – offline and online - to protect your personal information. Here are a few tips.

Protect yourself offline:

1. Shred your post
   Shred or cut up your post before putting it in the bin, so your name and address cannot be stolen.
2. Redirect your post
   If you move house, ask Royal Mail to redirect your post for at least a year.
3. Be tidy
   Don’t leave things like bills or personal documents lying around for others to see. Even on your work desk.
4. Know your bank
   This sounds like an odd one, but knowing how your bank will and won’t contact you can help you spot fraudulent emails, texts or calls claiming to be from your bank. If a bank statement or new bank card doesn’t arrive, tell your bank or card company immediately.

Protect yourself online:

1. Create complex passwords
   Create strong passwords and different passwords for every online account you have (email, online banking, social media, retail websites etc). Avoid using personal information in passwords, like names of family, school, pets, cars. This will reduce the likelihood that someone could guess or hack your password and access other platforms you use. You might find a password management tool useful.
2. Use anti-virus software
   Protect your internet-connected devices with up-to-date security software, and make sure you install all official software updates and security fixes on your devices.
3. Connect with those you know
   Don’t accept invitations from people you don’t know on social media sites.
4. Be wifi wise
   Public wifi connections and Hotspots can be hacked and used to see what you’re doing online. Whilst it’s fine to use public wifi for browsing, never use it for buying something, logging in, online banking, filling in forms – or anything else that requires your personal or card data.
5. Be private
   Double-check that your social media profiles are private so that you’re only sharing information with people you know.
6. Think before you post
   Before you post anything on social media, forums or online platforms, make sure you’re not revealing any personal information – even pictures of your car registration can be used to get your address from DVLA records.

Yes.

The Current Account Switch Service makes switching current accounts to Triodos Bank from another UK bank or building society simple, reliable, and stress-free.

The whole process takes only seven working days and is completely free. It is also backed by the Current Account Switch Guarantee.

This service provides all the following benefits:

• Regular payments (in and out) will be moved to your new account, and payments made to your old account after your switch date will be automatically redirected to your new account. Please note this doesn’t include any payments received from abroad.
• Any remaining credit balance in your old account will be transferred to your new account and your old account will automatically close.
• The switch process will be managed entirely by your new bank or building society and will be backed by the Current Account Switch Guarantee.

Screen scraping happens when you allow a third party to log into your computer while you are using it, so they see what you are doing and can copy the data on the screens you are viewing. This is a way for third parties to be able to get access to your payment data or account overview.

Triodos Bank is not in favour of this practice, as it potentially compromises the integrity of your own computer and your passwords.

To sell your Triodos Impact Investment fund, you must complete a Redemption Form and send it to:

Freepost RTAB-JGZR-BUHK
Triodos Bank
T. Bailey Asset Management Ltd
64-66 St James’s Street
Nottingham
NG1 6FJ

Our freepost address is Royal Mail registered and simple to use - write it on your envelope exactly as shown above (no stamp required) and your letter will get to us free of charge by second class mail. Alternatively, for first class mail, you can post your form to us in the normal way, simply copy our above address without the first line.

The proceeds of the sale will be sent to your nominated bank account within 3 business days of the dealing date.

Please note that if you are not selling the whole of your holding, a minimum fund balance of £500 applies. If your instruction takes the fund below that minimum balance we will try to contact you to establish how you would like to proceed, however if we are unable to contact you we reserve the right to reject your instruction pending further clarity.

You will be able to continue using your old account up to and until your switch date, when your funds will be transferred to your new account.

Tree-oh-dos

If you'd like to write to us, you can do so freepost at:

Freepost TRIODOS BANK

Our freepost address is Royal Mail registered and simple to use - write it on your envelope exactly as shown above (no stamp required) and your letter will get to us free of charge by second class mail.

For first class mail, you can post in the normal way to:

Triodos Bank
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AS

As an online bank, we don't provide counter banking services, but we're always pleased to meet with our business customers - simply make an appointment with your relationship manager.

Our regional business banking offices can be found at:

Triodos Bank
20 Old Bailey
London
EC4M 7LN

Triodos Bank
50 Frederick Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1EX

It can be very difficult to spot a fraudulent call. The best thing you can do if you get an unexpected call – especially if the person is asking you to make a payment or move funds, or rushing you to make a decision – is to call the organisation back on the number published on their website.

Fraudsters may call you or someone in your team and pretend to be a well-known business like BT, the bank, HMRC, the police, a supplier or even another person in your business.

Examples of what a fraudster might ask you to do:

• Move your money to a safe, secure holding account
  Fraudsters often call businesses pretending to be from their bank. They may ask you to move your money to a safe account because of suspected fraud or risk to your account. In reality, this ‘safe’ account is controlled by the fraudster. Hang up and report it to Action Fraud UK and your bank.
  
• Change the payment details of one of your suppliers
  Fraudsters often impersonate suppliers and ask businesses to pay into a new account – controlled by the fraudster. Check the caller is genuinely your supplier by calling back on the number on their website or, better still, by calling your direct contact at the company.
• Download something – software, a programme, app or other online tool
  Fraudsters may tell you there’s something wrong with your computer and it’s not secure. By downloading some software, they’ll be able to fix it for you. They might even offer you compensation or a refund for this inconvenience. In reality, the downloaded software could give them access to your computer. They may ask you to log in to your internet banking so they can issue your refund, when really they’re asking you to authorise payments into their own account. Triodos will never call you out of the blue and ask you to transfer money into another account, or download something onto your device.
• Tell them your Digipass codes
  Your Digipass codes give permission for money to leave your account. Never give these codes, no matter what they tell you. We will never ask you for these codes.
  

If you receive a call from Triodos, we’ll be happy for you to question who we are and call us back on the number published on our website, just to make sure. If you can, call us back from a different phone, as an extra safety precaution. Fraudsters can clone numbers, so it may look like the number we use to call you.

We will never call you to ask you to transfer money or for your Digipass codes, and we will never ask you to download software onto your device. If someone calls pretending to be from Triodos, and they ask you to do these things, hang up immediately and report it to us on 0330 355 0355.