The 999-style hotline being set up to respond quickly to bank customers who fear they are being defrauded will not include four leading banks — because there are only nine digits on a phone keypad.
When you dial the 159 hotline number you will get nine options, one for each bank. You press the number for your bank and will be put straight through.
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But those who bank with HSBC, Virgin Money, Nationwide and Monzo, which have 34 million UK customers between them, will not be able to use the service until at least next year.
Stop Scams UK said it was using keypad options “to get the scheme up and running” so there was a limit on numbers. “In 2022 we’ll move to voice
