How to complain to your bank about a scam refund

If you were tricked into sending money to a fraudster, the first thing to do is tell your bank.

Since 7 October 2024, banks and building societies have had to reimburse victims of APP scams who meet the claim criteria, and most victims should be paid within five UK business days unless the bank needs more information¹. If your bank refuses, or drags its feet, you have a route: a formal complaint, then the free Financial Ombudsman Service.

This page sets out what to do in order, what the refund rules actually require, the grounds on which a bank can say no, and where to get free help afterwards.

What counts as APP fraud

An APP scam is when you are tricked into instructing your bank to transfer money to a fraudster⁷. The payment is one you authorised yourself, which is what separates it from a payment someone makes using your card or details without your knowledge. The definition used by banks is broad: it covers being tricked into paying someone who is not genuine, or paying for a different purpose from the one you intended⁸.

Parliament's research service notes that government and stakeholders have raised particular concerns about APP frauds, where fraudsters trick victims into making payments or sharing information such as account details⁹. The regulator describes APP scams as a growing problem that needs to be addressed¹⁰.

The rules cover payments made by faster payment or CHAPS, claimed from the account provider the payment was sent from¹¹. That last point matters: your claim goes to your own bank, not the bank that holds the scammer's account.

Report the scam to your bank straight away

Speed matters, both for stopping the money and for the claim itself. Consumer guidance is consistent: contact your bank immediately and report it to the police at Report Fraud¹². One bank's own terms ask customers to report the matter promptly and, in any event, not more than 13 months after the last relevant payment was authorised¹³.

Use a number you trust. MoneyHelper says that if you are worried about your account security, contact your bank directly using the number on your card or by calling 159¹⁴. That avoids the risk of calling back a number a fraudster gave you.

The Financial Ombudsman Service lists the immediate steps after a scam as contacting your bank or payment services provider immediately, contacting the police on 101, reporting the scam to Report Fraud, and keeping records of all contact and correspondence between you and the scammer². Report Fraud, formerly Action Fraud, handles complaints about fraud and scams¹⁵. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the reporting route is Action Fraud; the reporting page sets out how the four nations differ.

How APP scam refunds work

The reimbursement requirement came into force on 7 October 2024 and applies to bank transfer scams that meet the criteria¹. Victims of APP fraud can claim from the bank or building society they sent the payment from¹⁷. Banks and building societies must have processes to investigate all APP scam claims fully and, where the set criteria are met, reimburse the victim for the amount lost¹⁸.

The rules also push banks to do more upstream: they require banks to improve fraud detection and to communicate more clearly about APP fraud risks¹¹. The regulator's stated aim is consistent minimum standards, with most APP fraud victims reimbursed within five business days¹⁹.

If you are entitled to a refund, one bank's terms say it will pay within five working days after you tell it about the payment, unless it needs more information¹². Independent guidance puts the same deadline in slightly different words: scam victims must be reimbursed within five UK business days unless the bank or payment provider needs to gather more information about what happened¹.

The regulator publishes a dashboard showing how firms are performing. Between 7 October 2024 and 31 March 2026, 82% of claims were closed within five business days, and 98% within 35 business days²⁰. That is a useful benchmark if your own claim is sitting unanswered.

Making a formal complaint to your bank

A claim and a complaint are not the same thing. The claim is your request for the money back under the reimbursement rules. The complaint is about how the bank has handled it, and it is the complaint that unlocks the ombudsman.

Start with the bank's customer services. If that does not resolve it, make a formal complaint: the bank then has eight weeks to investigate and give a final response⁴. For complaints about fraud and scams, and about payment services such as bank transfers or direct debits, the Financial Ombudsman Service says a business has only 15 days to consider the complaint⁵. Electronic money, which includes things like online money transfers, Apple Pay and travel money cards, falls under the same 15-day rule⁵.

Put it in writing where you can, and keep it factual: what you were told, what you paid, when you reported it, and what the bank has said since. If you are not happy with how the bank deals with your claim, complain to them, and check their website for how to do it²².

If the bank turns you down, ask why in writing. Independent guidance says a bank can usually refuse only if it can prove you authorised the payments, if it can prove you were at fault because you acted fraudulently or negligently, or if you told them about the fraud 13 months or more after the payment was taken²³. The consumer standard of caution page explains how that test is applied.

If your bank says no: the Financial Ombudsman

The Financial Ombudsman Service can step in when you are unhappy with how your bank or payment services provider handled a scam where you were tricked into making a payment². It can also look at complaints about scams involving unauthorised payments, stolen details or identity theft²⁴.

It costs nothing. The service states that bringing a complaint is straightforward and will not cost you anything⁶, that it is free and easy to use²⁵, and that it is free for consumers²⁶. Independent guidance puts it the same way: it costs nothing to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service²⁷.

The ombudsman's reach goes beyond the reimbursement rules. It can still help where those rules do not apply, including me-to-me scams, card payments to genuine merchants, overseas payments and cash withdrawals handed to a scammer². It can also investigate if a bank, payment service, insurance company, loan company or other financial firm put information about someone on a fraud prevention database by mistake²⁸.

A case study on the ombudsman's own site describes a customer, Nadia, whose bank refused to refund money because, it said, she had authorised the payments herself²⁹. That is the kind of decision the service can review. If you are not happy with the way your bank deals with your complaint, you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service³⁰.

Where to get help after a scam

The practical first step is to contact your financial institution if you have been the victim of a scam³¹. Banks say the same: contact your bank, they are there to help¹⁶. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme's own guidance is to speak to your bank, building society or credit union, which can protect and reimburse victims of certain types of fraud, and to report to Action Fraud³².

How you report depends on the bank. Monzo, for example, asks customers to tap Help in the app, search for "Reporting a scam", open the help article, tap "Report Fraud" and complete the steps in the form³³. Other banks take reports by phone or in a branch.

Free, impartial help is available:

• MoneyHelper explains the different types of scam and how to report your account security concerns¹⁴.
• The Financial Ombudsman Service takes complaints about how a financial business handled a scam, at no cost²⁴.
• The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland sets out how to stop, avoid and report scams³⁴.
• National Debtline explains how to complain about a lender²⁷.

If you paid by card rather than bank transfer, different rules apply, and the claiming a refund page covers that route. If you are helping someone else, the supporting a victim page sets out what to do.