Crossword Genius

Financial institutions taking pounds from dummies (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

banks

'financial institutions' is the definition.
(bank is a kind of financial institution)

'pounds from dummies' is the wordplay.
'pounds' becomes 'l' (L can represent the monetary pound).
'from' suggests deleting specific letters.
'dummies' becomes 'blanks' ('blank' can be a synonym of 'dummy').
'blanks' with 'l' taken away is 'BANKS'.

'taking' is the link.

(Other definitions for banks that I've seen before include "Relies" , "Financial institutions" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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