Starling Bank unveils new in-app tool to tackle bank impersonation scams

Starling

Starling Bank, a leader in the UK’s FinTech sector, has introduced a pioneering feature within its app to enhance security and customer confidence.

Known for its customer-centric solutions, Starling continues to innovate by addressing pressing financial security concerns.

The motivation behind the new feature is to combat the prevalent issue of bank impersonation scams, which cost UK residents around £78.9m annually. Despite widespread awareness, these scams remain a significant threat.

Starling Bank has long been at the forefront of utilising technology to secure financial transactions and customer interactions. This development is a part of their ongoing efforts to curtail financial crime and enhance user safety.

The newly launched product, named “call status indicators,” is designed to inform customers about the authenticity of incoming calls from the bank. This feature is accessible from both the home and payment screens, crucial points where customers are most vulnerable to pressure from fraudsters.

The call status indicators display several notifications such as “We’ve never called you,” “We’re calling you now,” and “No recent calls,” providing real-time confirmation and peace of mind for users during sensitive transactions.

Additionally, this tool is part of a broader campaign by Starling Bank to prevent fraud. The bank has also initiated a ‘Safe Phrases’ campaign aimed at helping families verify each other’s identities against AI voice impersonation—a growing concern in the digital age.

Starling Bank Financial Crime Specialist, Sarah Lenette, said: “We’re constantly looking for new ways to stop scammers in their tracks. Bank impersonations are very sophisticated and anyone can become a victim. Call status indicators give our customers confidence to know whether they’re being contacted by a genuine representative of the bank, or a con artist, which is why we’re proud to launch this today.”

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