How to Get Your Money Back After a Scam: Bank-by-Bank Guides
At Refundee, we specialise in helping victims of authorised push payment fraud get their money back from their bank. Below you will find a step-by-step guide to recovering your funds from your bank. Find your banks guide, or contact us for a free case review.
FCA Regulated
UK’s best-ratedRECLAIMING YOUR FINANCES
You have a right to claim your money back
If you've been scammed, your bank may be legally required to refund you. Since 7 October 2024, UK banks have been subject to the Payment Systems Regulator's (PSR) Mandatory Reimbursement Model, which means refunding victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud is now a legal obligation, not a goodwill gesture.
Every bank handles complaints slightly differently - different contact routes, different internal processes, different timelines before you need to escalate. To make that easier, we've put together a step-by-step guide for each major UK bank, covering exactly how to report the scam, what evidence to gather, and what to do if your bank refuses to refund you.
Find your bank below and read the full guide.
Bank Refund Guides
First Direct: How to recover funds from First Direct after a scam
Bank of Scotland: How to recover funds from Bank of Scotland after a scam
Starling: How to recover funds from Starling after a scam
Virgin Money: How to recover funds from Virgin Money after a scam
Nationwide: How to recover funds from Nationwide after a scam
Can't see your bank listed?
Contact us for a free case review - the mandatory reimbursement rules apply across UK Faster Payments and CHAPS payments for UK banks and payment providers.
What the Mandatory Reimbursement Rules Mean for You
In short, if you were tricked into authorising a payment to a fraudster via UK Faster Payments or CHAPS, your bank must generally reimburse you — subject to a small number of exceptions (such as acting fraudulently yourself, or a genuine dispute with a legitimate supplier). Your bank has 5 business days to respond, extendable to 35 days if they need more information. Full detail on how the scheme works, what it covers, and what to do if your bank refuses is available in each bank-specific guide above.
If your bank has already refused your claim, or you're not sure whether your situation qualifies, a free case review will give you an honest answer either way.