Lloyds Bank has issued a warning to customers ahead of the long weekend and the upcoming summer season. The banking giant said on Monday, May 19, is urging people not to fall for "too good to be true" offers, with many seeing payments of up to £40 taken from their accounts on a regular basis.

In a new alert, Lloyds chiefs explained that social media scammers have been posing as DIY companies, as well as well-known brands, ahead of the Bank Holiday. Fake social media adverts include those pretending to be from retailers such as Screwfix, Amazon, and Elemis.

The adverts entice people to move quickly, stating the offers are about to run out, with some urged to click through to enter a "draw" - or simply pay a small amount for postage only. There are also usually false reviews under the posts from "people who have received the products and deals" to boost credibility.

The product never arrives, but once fraudsters have a person's details they'll sign them up for monthly card payments, known as "continuous payment authority". Lloyds said that people often only become aware they have been scammed down the line, when they notice unusual payments of around £30 or £40 every two to four weeks on their statements.

Lloyds said it saw around 1,400 chargeback requests from credit card customers who spotted unusual transactions between January 1 and April 24, 2025, alone. Lloyds senior fraud manager Gavin Evans said: "These scammers are pretending to be trusted, legitimate retailers to make people think they're getting a great deal, but there are some clear warning signs to look out for when these ads pop up on social media.

"The biggest one if the offer is always too good to be true, when expensive goods apparently become available at incredibly low prices, with no sign of the deal on the merchant's website. If you do notice an unusual card transaction on your statement, always get in touch with your bank. Lloyds customers can get quick and easy support with unrecognised transactions by tapping on the payment in their mobile app, then pressing the 'get help with this transaction' button.

"In many cases, card protections will apply - which means your bank can reverse the charge back to the scammer." As well as urging people to avoid offers that seem too good to be true, he said that adverts with a "time limited angle" are also a red flag as "legitimate retailers will not pressure you into making purchases".

Strange links are also a warning sign, so you should "keep an eye on the web address at the top of the page". Gavin continued: "If the address looks odd, includes a company name that you don't recognise, or is similar to a legitimate retailer but not quite right, it's more than likely a scam."

Finally, online shoppers should examine the small print as sometimes this will "explain that you are consenting to ongoing payments". Gavin said: "Where there is small print, pay close attention to what it says, as it can help with understanding exactly what you are being asked to pay for."