Will Revolut Refund Scammed Money? What You Need to Know

Will Revolut refund your scammed money? In many cases, Revolut must now refund most scam victims under new Mandatory Reimbursement Rules introduced in October 2024. However, whether you get your money back from Revolut depends on how the money moved and the circumstances of the scam.

Will Revolut Refund Scammed Money? The Short Answer

Revolut is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is now a registered bank in the UK. This means that they are subject to the Payment System Regulator’s Mandatory Reimbursement Model, which means refunding Authorised Push Payment (APP) scam victims is now a legal obligation, not a goodwill gesture.  

What this means for you: If you were the victim of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, then Revolut will usually have to reimburse you.  

However, there are certain rules and exceptions of the Mandatory Reimbursement Model that mean Revolut is not always obliged to refund scam victims:

Yes - May Be Eligible for a Refund

• Payment sent via UK Faster Payments or CHAPS on or after 7 October 2024

• You were tricked into authorising the payment (APP Fraud)

• You reported it to Revolut reasonably promptly and within the 13-month timeline

• You didn't ignore a specific, clear scam warning from Revolut or the police about that exact payment

• You're not proven to have acted with "gross negligence" - this is a genuinely high bar

• The claim is within the £85,000 cap per claim

• You're a consumer, micro-enterprise, or charity

No - Can deny refund

• Payment made by card, international transfer, SWIFT, BACS, or between your own Revolut accounts

• First-party fraud - you were knowingly complicit in the fraud yourself

• Genuine civil dispute - you paid a real supplier for goods/services but are unhappy with them

• You ignored a specific, clear warning from Revolut about that exact payment being a likely scam

• You reported it more than 13 months after the last fraudulent payment

• Revolut proves gross negligence on your part - a high bar to prove and the burden is on Revolut to do this

• The loss exceeds £85,000 - anything above the cap isn't covered by the mandatory scheme

When Revolut Has to Refund You

If you have met the criteria to be eligible for a Revolut scam refund through the Mandatory Reimbursement Model, then Revolut must refund you within 5 business days of your claim.

Key parts of the Mandatory Reimbursement Model:

• Revolut must refund most APP scam victims

• Maximum refund of £85,000 per claim

• Applies to UK to UK bank transfers and CHAPS payments

• Revolut can deduct an excess of £100 (this doesn’t apply to vulnerable customers)

• You must report the scam and provide info promptly 

• Banks cannot delay claims indefinitely 

What this means for you: If you were manipulated into transferring money, then Revolut will usually have to reimburse you, and quickly.

When Revolut Might Not Refund You

Revolut can refuse to refund your scam money in certain circumstances, and at Refundee we have seen these circumstances over-applied, especially with Revolut customers.

Common exclusions we see Revolut refusing to refund scammed victims:

• Payment was sent directly to a cryptocurrency exchange - You can still challenge this and we have written an article on claiming back your scammed money through crypto

• International transfers - where you have sent money to a non-uk account (again you can still challenge this)

• Card payments - these generally fall outside the Mandatory Reimbursement Rules, but you can still claim under section 75 or chargeback rules

• You ignored a clear and obvious warning from Revolut - this is usually over-applied by Revolut and we have seen insufficient warnings used for refusal

• You acted with gross negligence - This is a high bar to reach and the burden is on Revolut to prove you acted with gross negligence

• Revolut classes the loss as a civil dispute - this is one of the most over-applied refusal reasons and banks regularly unfairly class claims as civil disputes

What this means for you: Revolut can deny a claim under the mandatory reimbursement model for the reasons above, however don’t take the bank's refusal as final. You have a legal right to challenge the decision.

We have written further information on how you can challenge when Revolut does not refund you.

What Happens If You Get Scammed on Revolut?

If you have been the victim of a scam through Revolut then there are certain steps you can take to recover your funds. The first thing to do is not panic, here’s what you can do instead:

1. Cut all contact with the scammer - they will only try and manipulate you into sending more funds

2. Preserve all evidence - you will need this for your claim

3. Report it to Revolut immediately - tell them what happened and log the evidence of the report

4. Provide evidence requested by Revolut - if they ask for correspondence with the scammer, contracts, marketing material and provide this to Revolut. You can read more about evidence gathering guides.

5. Report it to Report Fraud - Previously Action Fraud, Report Fraud is the UK reporting service for fraud and feeds in to the national intelligence

6. Note the timeline of when Revolut must respond

Does Revolut Have Scammer Protection?

As an FCA regulated payment provider, Revolut is required to protect you against fraud. Revolut has some in-app protections when you make payments such as; 

• Payment warnings - A standard warning about scams

• Confirmation of payee - There may be a standard message asking if you know the payee

• Card and transaction limits - depending on your type of account

Although Revolut has some protections against scams, Refundee has seen regular warnings applied by Revolut that are not sufficient for the scam that is happening or simple tick box questions that do not prevent victims from being tricked into sending funds.

In addition, scammer protections through Revolut are separate to the Mandatory Reimbursement Model and victims are often told by Revolut that they received a sufficient warning, which in many cases is incorrect.

Scammers can easily bypass protections made by Revolut and just because Revolut approves the transaction does not mean it is safe. It is important to do due diligence before sending any payment.

This also reinforces the fact that if Revolut have denied the request to reimburse your scammed money due to a warning then you have the right to challenge this and a rejection does not mean the end of your chances of recovering funds. 

What to Do If Revolut Refuses to Refund You

If Revolut refuses to refund you then you still have options. Revolut regularly deny victims reimbursement for unfair reasons and you have a legal right to challenge their decision. An independent publication found that 77% of Revolut cases that were initially rejected were overturned in the victims favour.

What this means for you: If Revolut refuses to refund you, don’t take this as a final decision. You have a right to challenge this and you have a strong chance of overturning their decision.

Here are the steps you can take to challenge it:

1. Complain to your bank

   • You can do this in writing, email or over the phone. You must provide all the evidence that the bank requests and the bank must provide a response within 15 days whether they are upholding or rejecting your complaint. 

2. Request a final response letter

   • If the bank rejects your complaint then you can request a final response letter. In the letter it will state the reason for rejection and your rights to escalate this further to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

3. Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service

   • Once you receive your final response letter you can now escalate your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge. Important: You must escalate this to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of receiving the final response letter otherwise you may lose your rights to complain.

It’s a free process and we have written a guide on how to do it, however specialists such as Refundee can help you navigate the claims process and challenge Revolut’s refusal. 

Read more about what to do if Revolut refuses to refund you.

How Refundee Can Help Recover Your Revolut Scam Money

If you do prefer for specialists such as Refundee to help you recover funds then we are here to help. 

We are regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 937096).

We have recovered over £140 million for our clients so far, with a large proportion of this coming from clients who were scammed through Revolut.

We work on a no-win, no-fee basis so you pay nothing upfront and only if we are successful. 

If you would like a free case review then you can start your claim with us. We will be honest if we can help and provide guidance and support throughout the process. 

You can complete our claim form for a free assessment or read our dedicated Revolut refund page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)?

What happens if I get scammed on Revolut?

• If you have been the victim of a scam through Revolut then there are certain steps you can take. Firstly you should cut all contact with the scammer and preserve evidence, report it immediately to Revolut through their app, report it to Report Fraud and await Revolut’s response.

Will I get my money back if I was scammed?

• In many cases yes. Banks, including Revolut are subject to the PSR’s Mandatory Reimbursement Model which means refunding Authorised Push Payment (APP) scam victims is now a legal obligation, not a goodwill gesture.

Does Revolut have scammer protection?

• Revolut has some scammer protections within their app including; standard payment warnings, confirmation of payee and transfer limits.However, these protections are usually not used to prevent a lot of scams, which is why you can challenge a refusal by Revolut.

Is it possible to recover money after being scammed?

• In many cases yes. The PSR’s Mandatory Reimbursement Model introduced in October 2024 now means refunding Authorised Push Payment (APP) scam victims is now a legal obligation. Many scam victims recover their funds through UK banking regulations and new rules were brought into protect fraud victims.

Conclusion

If you have been the victim of a scam through Revolut, do not blame yourself. Fraudsters are professional criminals who can evade the bank's scam protections. The first thing to do is not panic and remember you have options for recovery.

Refundee can guide you through the process and provide a free case assessment. We will be clear and honest about your chances for recovery.

Written by Stuart McFadden, Co-Founder at Refundee.

Stuart specialises in banking regulations and APP fraud recovery, helping victims navigate claims against UK banks that have failed in their duty to protect customers. He has featured regularly in the media discussing fraud and victim rights, including the BBC and ITV.

More about Refundee

Here are the technical bits:

Refundee Ltd is a claims management company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activity FRN: 937096.

Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office; registration number: A8986071.

Registered office address: Refundee, 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE.  

Registered as a company in England & Wales; number: 12855931.