Nationwide has launched a new call checker service to prevent impersonation scams, providing reassurance to customers that they are speaking to the building society and not a fraudster.

On the company’s banking app, customers can open the call checker when on a phone call, with the screen either confirming it is genuine or that they are not speaking to an employee at the building society.

The launch comes as research from Nationwide shows Brits receive around eight scam calls per month.

The new tool complements its existing scam checker service, which is used by 100,000 people and prevents £300,000 a month from being lost. The service enables customers to contact the building society when making a payment they are unsure about, with Nationwide checking the details of the payment to ensure it is genuine.

Nationwide said millions of pounds are lost each year to impersonation scams, with its data showing that they account for 17 per cent of reported scams.

The company added that fraudsters use increasingly bold tactics when pretending to be a customer’s bank, such as asking victims to share personal details or provide security codes in addition to transferring money.

Fraudsters are event telling people to lie to their bank or building society by saying they are paying a friend, which Nationwide said helps fraudsters go under the radar and face fewer checks that a high-risk payment.

While over half of Brits hang up immediately when they become suspicious, Nationwide said only 29 per cent report the incident to their bank and 26 per cent to Action Fraud.

Jim Winters, director of economic crime at Nationwide, said that scammers are becoming more sophisticated, and impersonation calls are one of the most common ways they trick people into handing over money.

“We are programmed to trust people and when someone uses clever tactics and well-practised scripts - often putting us under pressure or making us panic - it can be hard to know who to trust,” he added. “Our Call Checker feature gives our customers peace of mind by confirming if a call is genuine, or not.

“It’s a simple and effective step that could prevent someone from becoming the next crime statistic."

While all ages are affected by criminals pretending to be their bank or building society, Nationwide said its figures show it disproportionately impacts those over 65 years old, with 55 per cent affected.

Around one in six 18-34-year-olds and almost 20 per cent of 50-65s have also been targeted.

Nationwide said its research shows that 57 per cent of people believe suspicious calls are becoming more frequent.

Some 28 per cent admitted that they are not confident in spotting a genuine call from their bank.

Nationwide highlighted that younger adults are particularly vulnerable as a quarter of 25-34-year-olds would return a call to an unknown number, while 44 per cent have received a scam call, compared to 28 percent across all ages.

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