You've been tricked into authorising a transfer to a fraudster's account. Here's how to recover your money under UK law.
Since May 2024, UK banks must reimburse most APP fraud victims under new mandatory reimbursement rules — up to £85,000 in most cases. Your bank cannot refuse if you report quickly and follow proper procedures. Report to your bank immediately, provide evidence of the scam, and request reimbursement under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 and APP Fraud Rules 2024.
Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud is when a scammer tricks you into sending money from your own bank account to an account they control. You authorise the payment yourself — the bank didn't make an error. This was why victims historically couldn't claim refunds.
That changed in May 2024. New UK rules now protect APP fraud victims with mandatory bank reimbursement in most cases, shifting the burden onto banks to prevent fraud and compensate victims.
A typical APP fraud scenario: someone contacts you claiming to be your bank, mortgage lender, solicitor, or tax authority. They convince you to transfer money urgently (often claiming fraud on your account, or completing a property purchase). Once the money leaves your bank account, recovering it becomes a fight with both your bank and theirs.
As of May 2024, your legal position has transformed:
Step 1: Report to Your Bank Immediately — Do not delay. Call your bank's fraud line and report the payment as an unauthorised APP fraud case. Get a reference number. Time is critical — banks have stronger recovery options in the first 24-48 hours.
Step 2: Gather Evidence — Collect all communications with the scammer (texts, emails, calls), screenshots of the requests, proof of the false identity they used (e.g., fake website, spoofed number), and any correspondence that proves you were deceived.
Step 3: Submit a Formal Reimbursement Claim — Within 13 months of the fraud, submit a written claim to your bank requesting reimbursement under Payment Services Regulations 2017 and the APP Fraud Mandatory Reimbursement Rules 2024. Include your evidence pack.
Step 4: Escalate if Refused — If your bank refuses within 15 days, or if they delay beyond 15 days, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Banks now face severe penalties for refusing valid claims.
Banks have 15 calendar days from receipt of your claim to respond. If they refuse, they must provide a detailed explanation. If you don't hear within 15 days, you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service immediately.
Under the new rules, your negligence is no longer a reason for the bank to refuse reimbursement. Banks are now responsible for preventing fraud. The only exceptions are gross negligence (ignoring explicit warnings) or intentional misconduct on your part.
You have up to 13 months from the date of the fraudulent transaction to submit a reimbursement claim to your bank. However, report immediately — recovery success drops significantly after 48 hours.
The £85,000 limit applies per transaction. If you were a victim of multiple APP fraud transactions, you can claim reimbursement for each one up to £85,000 each.
Your bank is liable regardless. Even if the receiving bank refuses to help, your own bank must reimburse you under the mandatory rules. That's why the rules are so powerful — they shift responsibility onto your bank to recover the funds or compensate you.
Don't delay. Report to your bank immediately and use FightingBack's APP Fraud template to submit your reimbursement claim and track your case.
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