Hinckley and Bosworth MP, Dr Luke Evans, paid a visit to Nationwide in Earl Shilton in Leicestershire. He said in a social media post after the visit: “Thank you to the team at Nationwide in Earl Shilton for inviting me to the branch.

“It was great to hear about their commitment to local access and keeping branches open.” However, he did point to one worrying trend highlighted by staff there.

Dr Evans said: “One of the concerns they wanted people to be aware of is the amount of counterfeit notes in circulation.” He was asked for more details about this issue.

The Conservative MP said: “It’s always concerning to hear of scams operating in your area. While anyone can fall victim to a scam, I’m always acutely aware of the impact on some of the more vulnerable people in our communities.

Always be alert

“It’s a reminder to always be alert, especially when interacting with people who are demanding cash, or saying that payment has to be made in a certain way – particularly when buying or selling over social media. At the end of the day, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

A Nationwide spokesperson said: “We are aware of a rise in scammers using fake banking notes to pay people for goods and would urge consumers to always check. Suspected counterfeits should be reported to the police, and guidance is available on the Bank of England website.”

The provider has committed to keeping open all its UK branches until at least 2030. This bucks the trend compared to other high street bank services providers, with many big name banks axing more branches this year.

Dr Evans said of the issue with counterfeit cash: “This certainly makes a case for face-to-face interactions and dealing with your bank in person. During my visit to Nationwide, I was struck to hear the team talk about the personal relationships they have developed with local customers, and how people would travel from neighbouring cities because they have trust in a specific cashier.”

Branch deposit rules explained

Nationwide recently clarified its deposit rules after a question from a customer. The member asked the provider over social media: “Can I deposit one penny and two penny coins (not mixed) in branch if they are bagged up in bags of one pound? I have £30 in total.”

The savings giant said in response: “You can deposit any amount of bagged coin into your account at your local Nationwide branch. You can find your nearest branch here.”

Customers also have the option to deposit full bags of coins in branch. You can hand over full bags of: