Team breaking scams ‘spell’ stops £3.5m going to criminals in first half of 2025

Santander’s Break the Spell team works with people for a long time in some cases to help them understand that they have been scammed (picture posed by model/Dominic Lipinski/PA) - (PA Archive)

A fraud prevention team set up to “break the spell” on victims has stopped £3.5 million of funds getting into the hands of criminals in the first six months of this year.

Santander UK’s specialist Break the Spell team intervenes in situations where it is suspected that customers are being tricked and manipulated by scammers such as romance and payments fraudsters.