The group is making a change for its customers
Lloyds has given a new update for its customers, including Halifax and Bank of Scotland.
It is set to unveil a new Scam Check tool, designed to shield customers from online shopping fraud before they transfer money to criminals. Due to appear in certain “payment journeys” within the Lloyds app shortly, the tool will intervene when a customer appears at risk of sending funds to a fraudster for something that seems legitimate but is likely to be a con.
When a customer attempts to pay someone new for an online purchase, if Scam Check identifies a potential scam, customers will be presented with a series of straightforward questions and prompted to upload screenshots of the item they intend to buy. Users of the Halifax and Bank of Scotland apps, both part of the Lloyds group, will also benefit from the changes.
Lloyds confirmed that Scam Check will harness artificial intelligence to analyse the information provided and deliver a clear warning if the deal appears suspicious – in many instances, stepping in before customers even realise they could be falling victim to fraud. Scam Check will scrutinise the item details and flag warning signs, including prices that seem too good to be true, newly created seller accounts with no ratings, vague item descriptions, requests for deposits and high-pressure or urgent sales tactics.
The innovative technology arrives as online shopping scams continue to rank among the most prevalent methods criminals use to target victims, Lloyds noted. Of the fraud reports submitted by Lloyds customers, approximately seven in 10 (68%) involve shopping scam cases, originating on a Meta platform such as Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp. Lloyds revealed it stopped more than £1 billion in attempted fraud in 2025, as criminals deployed increasingly sophisticated and rapid tactics to target customers, with the bank ploughing £100 million into cutting-edge fraud prevention technology.
With an average of 23,551 transactions scrutinised every minute for suspicious activity, Lloyds customers can now readily identify when the bank’s fraud prevention technology is operating in the background, through the presence of the anti-fraud DarkHorse logo. This investment comes as Lloyds’ fraud prevention teams speak to thousands of customers each month, many of whom are seeking reassurance or guidance regarding suspicious activity.
Behind closed doors, the bank has also rolled out new AI-powered technology to assist staff during live customer interactions, helping them review transactions, identify warning signs and evaluate potential scam risks in real time. The system is expected to dramatically reduce response times, freeing up colleagues to concentrate on providing customer support.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said: “Scams are becoming more convincing, targeted and emotionally manipulative, making them harder to spot and we need to use all the tech and tools we can to fight back. Scam Check will be the newest way we address the enormous threat of online scams, designed to step in at the right moment, spot the warning signs earlier and support customers before money can leave their account.
“By continuing to combine cutting-edge technology, with the expert judgement of our colleagues, we’re helping customers stay one step ahead of scammers.”
Lord David Hanson, Minister for Fraud, said: “Fraudsters will stop at nothing to take your hard-earned money. I welcome Lloyds’ plans to introduce Scam Check and urge everyone to Stop! Think Fraud to protect themselves and those close to you.
“We’re investing £250 million as part of our new Fraud Strategy to crack down on this criminality. We will use every tool at our disposal to dismantle criminal networks, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen protections for victims.”
