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AI & Machine Learning

£14,244 Stolen from Metro Bank Customer Using AI Chatbot Claude

WireByte Staff · August 4, 2026

A Metro Bank customer in the UK lost £14,244 to a gang that used his Anthropic account to buy credits for the AI chatbot Claude. The bank spotted the first fraudulent charge but failed to block subsequent transactions. The incident highlights the risks of using AI tools for financial transactions.

Key points

  • Zoli Rutter, a businessman from Sussex, had £14,244 stolen from his Metro Bank account after a gang used his Anthropic account to buy credits for the AI chatbot Claude.
  • Metro Bank spotted the first fraudulent charge of £90.90 but failed to block subsequent transactions, allowing the gang to steal over £14,000.
  • The incident highlights the risks of using AI tools for financial transactions, with the bank blaming the 'complex nature of the fraud'.
  • Anthropic, the company behind Claude, said it had no evidence the customer's details came from its own systems and had banned the user's account.
  • The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had recently endorsed Claude for use in a hi-tech initiative, but the incident raises concerns about the tool's security.
  • The customer has filed a complaint with Metro Bank and is seeking a £14,000 refund.

£14,244 Stolen from Metro Bank Customer Using AI Chatbot Claude

A shocking incident has highlighted the risks of using AI tools for financial transactions. Zoli Rutter, a businessman from Sussex, had £14,244 stolen from his Metro Bank account after a gang used his Anthropic account to buy credits for the AI chatbot Claude.

The bank spotted the first fraudulent charge of £90.90 but failed to block subsequent transactions, allowing the gang to steal over £14,000. The incident has raised concerns about the security of AI tools and their potential use in financial crimes.

Anthropic, the company behind Claude, said it had no evidence the customer's details came from its own systems and had banned the user's account. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had recently endorsed Claude for use in a hi-tech initiative, but the incident raises questions about the tool's suitability for financial transactions.

Rutter has filed a complaint with Metro Bank and is seeking a £14,000 refund. The incident serves as a warning about the potential risks of using AI tools for financial transactions and the need for greater security measures to protect customers.

Sources

WireByte Staff — Editorial Team

The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.