The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is investigating a report of a banking fraud against a client of a local financial institution.
Police said a victim had reported receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be associated with a financial institution based in Cayman. During the call, the person was duped into providing personal banking information that was later used to conduct unauthorised transactions on the account.
“Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and creative, using tactics like social engineering and Artificial Intelligence to impersonate trusted sources, clone voices, and create convincing messages or websites to steal sensitive information,” said Billy Pennington, president of the Cayman Islands Bankers Association (CIBA).
“Everyone should remain vigilant, especially when asked to share sensitive information such as online banking credentials or credit/debit card details through phone, email, or text,” said Pennington. “This type of information should always be kept confidential and never be shared. If you’re unsure as to whether a request is legitimate, do not engage until you are able to contact your financial institution directly to verify.”
The latest police scam warning comes amid a backdrop of increasing bank fraud in Cayman.
In December 2025, the Cayman Islands Bankers Association launched a campaign against ‘money muling’, which involves criminals using other people’s bank accounts to handle illicit finance.
“Criminals are increasingly using real people’s bank accounts to move illegal funds and many individuals do not realise the serious consequences until it is too late,” said Richard Lewis, the association’s chief operating officer.
Then in January this year, John Watson, the head of cybercrime investigation at the RCIPS, appeared on Compass TV’s Daybreak show to warn that increasing numbers of people on the Islands are falling victim to online crime.
“Unfortunately, in 2025, we did see a rise in people being scammed on island,” said Watson.
How to avoid being scammed
The RCIPS has issued the following guidance to help members of the public avoid being scammed:
• Never share your bank account details, card number, PIN, passwords or other sensitive information related to your bank account over the phone.
• Do not respond to emails requesting personal banking information. Contact your bank directly using its official phone number or website to verify the legitimacy of the request.
• Do not click on links within text messages from unknown numbers.
• Be cautious of requests for banking information received through social media or other online messaging applications.
• If you are unsure whether a request is legitimate, end the communication and contact your bank directly using its official phone number or website.
Police, who continue to investigate the alleged fraud, are now appealing for anyone who was targeted by a similar scam to contact their bank immediately and report the matter to the George Town Police Station at 949-4222.
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