Specialist Scam Recovery Services UK

You can get your money back from a Bank transfer scam, but acting fast is key.

As soon as you realise the transfer was fraudulent, report it to your Bank immediately. Not all transfers are instant — for example, while CHAPS payments go through immediately, other same-day transfers may not settle until the end of the working day. Some take 1–2 business days depending on your Bank and the receiving Bank, which means there’s a window where funds can sometimes be stopped or returned.

If it’s too late to stop or reverse the transfer, there are two main options:

• Pursue the fraudster – This is extremely difficult. Scammers usually act fast to move funds, often to foreign or untraceable accounts. The growing use of cryptocurrency through digital Banks like Revolut or Monzo adds to the difficulty, as crypto transfers are much harder to trace or recover.
• Complain to your Bank and request a refund – Many UK Banks have signed up for a voluntary code to refund scam victims under certain circumstances. Since October 2024, new Authorised Push Payment (APP) regulations mean Banks are now required to refund eligible scam victims, provided specific criteria are met.

UK Banks are only required to refund scammed transfers in certain circumstances. One of the requirements is that the customer hasn’t acted negligently.

That means if the Bank believes you didn’t take reasonable steps to spot the scam, they may deny your refund or offer only a partial one. For example, they might offer just 50% back, claiming you failed to check that the transfer was legitimate.

But you don’t have to accept this. Whether it’s a full rejection or a low refund offer, you have the right to challenge the decision by complaining to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) — the official financial complaints body in the UK.

The FOS will look at the circumstances of the scam, assess your Bank’s handling of the situation, and apply the APP regulations. If they find your Bank acted unfairly, they can force the Bank to issue a full refund. Make sure to raise your complaint within six months of the Bank’s decision.

Yes, UK Banks are now required to refund scammed money if specific conditions are met.

Before 7 October 2024, refunds were inconsistently applied under a voluntary code. Now, under new Authorised Push Payment (APP) regulations, all UK-authorised Banks must issue refunds if:

• The payment was an APP transfer – A direct Bank transfer (via Faster Payments or CHAPS) between two UK Banks. Credit card, cheque, or cash payments are not covered by these rules but may have other protections.
• You weren’t “grossly negligent” – The regulator describes this as a “high bar.” Unless you ignored a clear warning or there were obvious signs of fraud, the Bank should not deny your refund on this basis. Vulnerable customers (e.g., elderly, disabled) cannot be refused on these grounds.
• Banks may deduct a £100 excess – But this doesn’t apply if you’re considered a vulnerable customer.
• There’s a refund cap of £85,000 – This aligns with the FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) maximum limit.

Yes. Even if your Bank refuses or offers only a partial refund, you can still challenge their decision.

Since October 2024, Banks have been legally obligated to follow the new APP regulations, but not all apply them fairly. High street Banks may have better uphold rates, while online and digital Banks often deny claims or reduce refunds.

It’s common for all Banks to only offer a partial refund, seeking to attribute some blame on the customer.

Whether it is an outright refusal or a partial refund, you do not have to accept the Bank’s decision.

If you’re unhappy with the outcome:

• You can escalate your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) — the UK’s independent complaints body.
• You have 6 months from the Bank’s final decision letter to apply.
• The FOS will review whether the Bank followed APP regulations and treated you fairly under FCA rules, including the duty to “treat customers fairly.”
• You’ll also get a chance to submit more information to support your complaint.

If you have been the victim of a scam transfer, you do not need a solicitor or any type of representative to request a refund from your Bank. If your Bank refuses the request or only offers a partial refund, you can apply to FOS yourself to challenge the decision.

In fact, solicitors’ own regulations require them to inform new clients that they can complain to the Bank themselves and if not satisfied with their response, apply to FOS (a free service) to review the Bank’s decision.

That said, many clients choose to use our services when:

• Their refund was denied or reduced, and they want help presenting a strong case to FOS.
• They feel anxious or unsure about explaining the scam and want help to avoid potential mistakes.
• They want to avoid the stress of dealing with the Bank and complaints process alone.