London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026

Royal Mail scam: Fake text led to drama student being defrauded

Royal Mail scam: Fake text led to drama student being defrauded

A woman who has been "scammed out of every penny I had" has shared her story on Twitter to try to stop others falling victim to bank fraudsters.

Drama student Emmeline Hartley moved £1,000 out of her account after a man claiming to be from Barclays called.

The number appeared to be genuine, but it was a spoof. The 28-year-old's bank has now agreed to fully reimburse her.

Her story has been retweeted thousands of times and others have shared their experiences in response to her post.

"I am usually very good at not falling for scams but this one caught me off-guard at a pretty vulnerable time in my life," the Birmingham student said.

"I thought I had done my due diligence but it was not enough."


On Friday, Ms Hartley said she had been taken in by a text message scam which claimed she owed payment to Royal Mail for a package to be delivered.

As her birthday was coming up and she was in a hurry, she said she had thought nothing of it and entered her bank details.

The following day, a man called her and told her someone had tried to set up direct debits in her account to other firms.

The con-artist told her she needed a new bank account as entering her details to the text had put her online banking at risk.

He persuaded her to transfer the £1,000 - all her savings - to the new account and Ms Hartley said she had only fully realised she was being scammed when he had asked her to transfer her overdraft.

When it did not work, she said she had broken down in tears and he had hung up.

"It was down to circumstances, I was panicked and angry at falling for the Royal Mail scam and I have always trusted Barclays," she said.

"This guy was plausible, professional and understanding and I just fell for it."

Ms Hartley said Barclays had started an investigation into what had happened but she felt the bank's online app could have more warnings to try to stop such a scam.

She said her bank had called her on Tuesday and told her they would be reimbursing her in full.

A spokesperson for Barclays said: "No genuine bank would message you to transfer money to a 'safe account' - we advise any customers to ignore anyone who asks to do this, whether it's by phone, email or any other method."

Since sharing her story on Twitter on Sunday, hundreds of people have commented, with many sharing their own stories of similar bank scams.

People have offered her donations which Ms Hartley said she had refused, but she has seen scammers copying her account to try to get money out of users who have commented.

* To report scams, contact Action Fraud, or Police Scotland

* To report email scams, contact the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) by emailing report@phishing.gov.uk

* For consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
AI Everywhere: Power, Money, War, and the Race to Control the Future
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Arctic Power Grab: Security Chessboard or Climate Crime Scene?
Starmer Steps Back from Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Amid Strained US–UK Relations
Prince Harry’s Lawyer Tells UK Court Daily Mail Was Complicit in Unlawful Privacy Invasions
UK Government Approves China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London Amid Debate Over Security and Diplomacy
Trump Cites UK’s Chagos Islands Sovereignty Shift as Justification for Pursuing Greenland Acquisition
UK Government Weighs Australia-Style Social Media Ban for Under-Sixteens Amid Rising Concern Over Online Harm
Trump Aides Say U.S. Has Discussed Offering Asylum to British Jews Amid Growing Antisemitism Concerns
UK Seeks Diplomatic De-escalation with Trump Over Greenland Tariff Threat
Prince Harry Returns to London as High Court Trial Begins Over Alleged Illegal Tabloid Snooping
High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills at Least Twenty-One and Injures Scores
Meghan Markle May Return to the U.K. This Summer as Security Review Advances
Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat Sparks EU Response and Risks Deep Transatlantic Rift
Prince Harry’s High Court Battle With Daily Mail Publisher Begins in London
Trump’s Tariff Escalation Presents Complex Challenges for the UK Economy
UK Prime Minister Starmer Rebukes Trump’s Greenland Tariff Strategy as Transatlantic Tensions Rise
Prince Harry’s Last Press Case in UK Court Signals Potential Turning Point in Media and Royal Relations
OpenAI to Begin Advertising in ChatGPT in Strategic Shift to New Revenue Model
GDP Growth Remains the Most Telling Barometer of Britain’s Economic Health
Prince William and Kate Middleton Stay Away as Prince Harry Visits London Amid Lingering Rift
Britain Braces for Colder Weather and Snow Risk as Temperatures Set to Plunge
Mass Protests Erupt as UK Nears Decision on China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London
Prince Harry to Return to UK to Testify in High-Profile Media Trial Against Associated Newspapers
Keir Starmer Rejects Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat as ‘Completely Wrong’
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed
Prince Harry Returns to UK High Court as Final Privacy Trial Against Daily Mail Publisher Begins
Britain Confronts a Billion-Pound Wind Energy Paradox Amid Grid Constraints
The graduate 'jobpocalypse': Entry-level jobs are not shrinking. They are disappearing.
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
The Return of the Hands: Why the AI Age Is Rewriting the Meaning of “Real Work”
UK PM Kier Scammer Ridicules Tories With "Kamasutra"
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
United Kingdom and Norway Endorse NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Mission Including Greenland
Woman Claiming to Be Freddie Mercury’s Secret Daughter Dies at Forty-Eight After Rare Cancer Battle
UK Launches First-Ever ‘Town of Culture’ Competition to Celebrate Local Stories and Boost Communities
Planned Sale of Shell and Exxon’s UK Gas Assets to Viaro Energy Collapses Amid Regulatory and Market Hurdles
UK Intensifies Arctic Security Engagement as Trump’s Greenland Rhetoric Fuels Allied Concern
Meghan Markle Could Return to the UK for the First Time in Nearly Four Years If Security Is Secured
Meghan Markle Likely to Return to UK Only if Harry Secures Official Security Cover
UAE Restricts Funding for Emiratis to Study in UK Amid Fears Over Muslim Brotherhood Influence
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks to Safeguard Long-Term Agreement Stability
Starmer’s Push to Rally Support for Action Against Elon Musk’s X Faces Setback as Canada Shuns Ban
UK Free School Meals Expansion Faces Political and Budgetary Delays
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks With Britain
Germany Hit by Major Airport Strikes Disrupting European Travel
Prince Harry Seeks King Charles’ Support to Open Invictus Games on UK Return
×