Santander UK has updated its OneApp mobile banking platform with technology that detects and blocks screen-sharing sessions, in a bid to curb a rise in scams that exploit legitimate remote-access software.

The feature, live for customers on iOS 18 and to follow “in the near future” on Android, automatically blurs the account holder’s screen the moment screen-sharing is identified and prevents transactions from being completed. According to the bank’s internal data, more than £1.8 million was taken from customers during 2024 through frauds that relied on tools such as AnyDesk and TeamViewer to harvest credentials and authorise payments without consent.

Criminals typically cold-call or message victims, presenting fake investment opportunities or claiming the user’s phone has a technical fault. By persuading targets to install a remote-access app, they gain visibility of the device and can steer unsuspecting users through log-in and approval processes.

Chris Ainsley, head of fraud strategy at Santander UK, said the new safeguard tackles that social engineering “in action” and offers protection to customers “who are often caught up in a moment of panic”. He noted that although the bank already issued pop-up warnings when screen-sharing was detected, the additional layer hides sensitive details entirely until the remote session ends.

A key feature of the screen-blurring tool is that it stops users making any banking changes while sharing is active, cutting off a crucial route for fraudsters to move money quickly.

Santander insisted that customers should remain vigilant and never accept unsolicited requests to download software or to disclose security codes. Industry analysts say other high-street banks are likely to monitor the effectiveness of screen-blurring before adopting similar measures.

The update is being rolled out automatically through the App Store. Customers who have disabled automatic updates are advised to download the latest version manually to access the protection.

---