The States of Jersey Police have warned residents to stay alert amid a sharp rise in cyber fraud targeting financial technology services and mobile banking apps, with 75% of all scam crimes reported on the island over a four-week period specifically involving Revolut accounts. Victims collectively lost around ₹2.33 crore during the reported cases.
A Familiar Pattern Across Most Incidents
According to police, most of these incidents followed a strikingly similar script. Victims received phone calls from individuals claiming to represent a bank's fraud department, security team, or Revolut's own support service, telling them a suspicious transaction had been detected, or that their account was at risk of being compromised.
How the Fear Was Weaponised
Callers reportedly convinced victims that immediate action was necessary to protect their accounts, then used that manufactured urgency to persuade victims into sharing security information, transferring money to a supposedly "safer" account, approving unfamiliar transactions, or granting direct account access.
In several cases, victims were told their money needed to be moved to another account for its own protection, exactly the kind of instruction fraudsters used to get victims to authorise transactions themselves, effectively doing the criminals' work for them under the guise of safety. Police have also recorded cases where accounts were compromised outright, allowing unauthorised access and resulting in real financial losses.
Revolut's Response
Revolut said it takes fraud and impersonation scams extremely seriously, urging customers to remain cautious with any unexpected call claiming to be from the company. The company was direct about one thing in particular: it will never ask customers to disclose passwords, passcodes, or security information, and it never instructs customers to move money into a "safe account", a line that should be treated as an automatic red flag regardless of who's supposedly calling.
Anyone who suspects they're being targeted by a scam call is advised to end the call immediately and reach Revolut only through its secure in-app chat, rather than any number provided by the caller.
How Police Are Framing the Threat
Police describe impersonation fraud as a tactic where criminals pose as representatives of banks or fintech companies specifically to build trust quickly, then manufacture urgency around a supposed security emergency to extract sensitive information or push victims into authorising a transaction before they've had time to think it through.
Their advice is straightforward: never disclose banking or account security information during an unexpected call. If a caller pressures you to transfer money, approve a transaction, or share security credentials, end the call and contact your financial institution independently, through an official number or app, not anything provided during the suspicious call itself.
What Revolut Is Doing on Its End
Revolut said it continues investing heavily in fraud-prevention systems, acknowledging that the methods criminals use to target customers keep growing more sophisticated, making strong account security and detection systems increasingly essential rather than optional.
Police have also urged residents to exercise extra caution generally when using financial apps and digital banking services, particularly anyone receiving a call claiming their account has been compromised or that urgent action is required, independently verifying the claim before doing anything.
What to Do If You've Been Targeted
The States of Jersey Police are actively investigating the reported incidents and are encouraging residents to report any suspected scams rather than dismiss them. Anyone who believes they've suffered a loss is advised to notify both their financial service provider and the police immediately, rather than waiting to see if the situation resolves on its own.
FAQs
Q1. What percentage of scam crimes in Jersey involved Revolut accounts?
75% of all scam crimes reported over a four-week period involved Revolut accounts, with total victim losses reaching around ₹2.33 crore.
Q2. What's the common tactic fraudsters used in these cases?
Calling victims while posing as bank or Revolut security staff, claiming a suspicious transaction had been detected, then pressuring them to transfer money, approve transactions, or share security information under manufactured urgency.
Q3. Would Revolut ever ask for a customer's password or request a transfer to a "safe account"?
No. Revolut has confirmed it never asks customers to disclose passwords or security information, and never instructs anyone to move money to a "safe account."
Q4. What should you do if you receive a suspicious call about your account?
End the call immediately and contact your bank or financial provider independently through an official channel, never using a number or link provided during the suspicious call itself.