Nationwide Building Society has taken a significant step in the fight against financial fraud by expanding its security services. The lender confirmed on January 12, 2026, that it is adding a new 'Call Checker' feature to its widely used Scam Checker tool.
The Rising Tide of Phone Fraud
The launch comes in direct response to alarming research from the building society. Their data reveals that the average person in the UK now receives eight scam calls every month, which equates to roughly two fraudulent attempts each week. This surge in phone-based crime is costing the public millions of pounds annually.
Nationwide's own figures show that impersonation scams, where criminals pretend to be from a victim's bank, make up a substantial 17 per cent of all reported scams. While this crime affects all age groups, it disproportionately targets the most vulnerable: 55 per cent of those affected are over 65 years old. However, younger adults are not immune, with 16 per cent of 18-34-year-olds and 19 per cent of 50-65-year-olds also reporting being targeted.
How the New Call Checker Works
The innovative feature is designed to give customers immediate peace of mind during a potentially stressful call. If a member receives a call from someone claiming to be from Nationwide, they can quickly open the building society's banking app. By navigating to "More" and then selecting "Call Checker," the screen will instantly display one of two clear messages: either "You're on a call with Alex" or "You're not on a call with us."
This simple check provides concrete confirmation of whether the caller is a genuine Nationwide colleague. The service complements the existing Scam Checker, which is already used by 100,000 people and prevents an estimated £300,000 from being lost to fraud each month.
Industry Experts Weigh In
Jim Winters, Nationwide's Director of Economic Crime, emphasised the growing sophistication of criminals. "Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, and impersonation calls are one of the most common ways they trick people into handing over money," he said. "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."
The move has also drawn commentary from security specialists. Rohit Parmar-Mistry, Founder of AI and security firm Pattrn Data, called it a "practical, human-centric solution." However, he questioned the underlying cause, stating, "It's because the telecoms industry has effectively surrendered our phone networks to fraudsters." He criticised telecom providers for lagging behind scammers who use AI and automation, forcing banks to build their own defensive tools for customers.
This new feature marks a crucial development in empowering customers to take control of their security in an era where trusting an incoming phone call is increasingly risky.
