You might be able to get your money back after you’ve been scammed.
What you should do, and whether you’ll get a refund, depends on what happened.
Managing someone else’s bank account
If you're helping someone who's been scammed, there are ways you can manage their bank account for them. You might need to do this if you want to stop payments or claim back money.
The person you're helping needs to fill in a form giving you permission to manage their account. This is known as a third party mandate. Most banks have a third party mandate on their website.
If the person you're helping wants you to manage more than one account, they might need to give you power of attorney. They might also need to give you power of attorney if you have to manage their finances for a long time. To find out more, read our advice on managing affairs for someone else.
If there’s an unknown payment from your account
Contact your bank immediately if:
Explain what’s happened and ask if you can get a refund. If you’re not happy with how the bank deals with your claim, you can complain to them. Find out how to do this by checking their website.
If it's been 8 weeks since you complained, and you haven't got your money back, contact the Financial Ombudsman. You can also contact the ombudsman if you've had a letter from the bank saying it's not going to take any action. This is sometimes known as a final response letter.
If the ombudsman decides you've been treated unfairly, it's got legal powers to put things right.
If you’ve bought something from a scammer
If you paid by card or PayPal
If you've paid for something you haven't received, you might be able to get your money back.
Your card provider can ask the seller's bank to refund the money. This is known as the 'chargeback scheme'.
If you paid by debit card, you can use chargeback however much you paid.
If you paid by credit card and the item cost more than £100 but less than £30,000, you might be able to claim under the Consumer Credit Act - this is known as a 'Section 75 claim'.
If the item cost less than £100 and you paid by credit card, you can't use Section 75, but you can use chargeback.
See our advice on getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal.
If you paid by bank transfer or Direct Debit
If you used a money transfer service
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to get your money back if you’ve paid through a wire service such as MoneyGram, PayPoint or Western Union.
Even if you can’t get your money back, there are other things you can do – like reporting the scam and getting financial or emotional support.
There are things you can do to protect yourself if you ever need to use a money transfer service again.
You should:
If you paid by vouchers or gift cards
It's unlikely you'll get your money back if you used vouchers or gift cards to pay the scammer.
To protect yourself in future, never give numbers on the back of a gift card or voucher to anyone you don't know.
If you can't get your money back
Find out how to get emotional support after a scam.
If you need help with debt, check our advice on how to start dealing with your debts.
Report the scam
It's a good idea to report the scam – even if you haven’t got your money back yet. Find out how to report a scam.
Get more help
For more help dealing with scams, contact our consumer service.
FAQs
Contact your bank and tell them it was an unauthorized debit or withdrawal. Ask them to reverse the transaction and give you your money back. Did you pay with a gift card? Contact the company that issued the gift card.
Can I get money back from a check scam? ›
Fake checks can take weeks to be discovered and untangled. By that time, the scammer has any money you sent, and you're stuck paying the money back to the bank. Your best bet: Don't rely on money from a check unless you know and trust the person you're dealing with.
How can I recover money from scam? ›
Contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam. Ask them to stop any transactions. If you're not sure if you're being scammed, stop sending money. Scammers will keep asking for more money until you stop.
How do I reverse money sent to a scammer? ›
Reversing a transaction made to a scammer can be challenging, but there are steps you can take. If the transaction was made through a bank or credit card, contact the financial institution immediately to report the scam. Request a chargeback or dispute the transaction to attempt to recover the funds.
How do you recover from being scammed financially? ›
Article: 6 Steps to Take after Discovering Fraud
- Don't pay any more money. ...
- Collect all the pertinent information and documents. ...
- Protect your identity and accounts. ...
- Report the fraud to authorities. ...
- Check your insurance coverage, and other financial recovery steps.
If you've transferred money to someone because of a scam
Your bank or building society should reimburse you if it's registered with the Lending Standards Board under their Contingent Reimbursem*nt Model Code (CRM Code). You can check if your bank is registered under the CRM code on the Lending Standards Board website.
Can you cancel a check if you get scammed? ›
If you lose a personal check or if you think it's been stolen, you need to ask your bank or credit union to cancel the check. You'll want to act quickly, before the check can be cashed.
What to do if a scammer gives you money? ›
Ask the sender to cancel the transaction immediately — in many cases, the sender can simply contact the app's customer support to cancel the transaction. If the sender refuses to do so, contact the app's customer support yourself, explain the situation, and ask them to reverse the transaction.
Can a scammer reverse a bank transfer? ›
By the time you realize you've been a victim of bank transfer fraud, it's usually too late. Scammers have received the money, transferred it to another account, and disappeared. Falling victim to phishing, pharming, or CEO fraud unfortunately doesn't qualify for reversing a wire transfer.
How long does it take a scammer to ask for money? ›
Sweetheart scammers are consistently positive and upbeat, and they present a façade of unconditional love that seems highly comforting. The scammer may wait months before asking for money.
Did a scammer make an unauthorized transfer from your bank account? Contact your bank and tell them it was an unauthorized debit or withdrawal. Ask them to reverse the transaction and give you your money back.
How long does a bank have to reverse a payment? ›
First, the reversal must be sent to the bank within 24 hours of noticing the error and no later than 5 banking days after settlement. Then the payment originator must also reach out to the payment recipient to inform them a reversal is in progress.
What to do after you've been scammed? ›
You Think You've Been Scammed. Now What?
- STOP CONTACT WITH THE SCAMMER. Hang up the phone. ...
- SECURE YOUR FINANCES.
- CHECK YOUR COMPUTER. ...
- CHANGE YOUR ACCOUNT PASSWORDS. ...
- REPORT THE SCAM.
How to Get Your Money Back. Zelle is processing each scam claim they receive on a case-by-case basis. If you haven't already done so, file a claim directly with Zelle through their app or by phone (844-428-8542). You'll also need to file a claim with the bank or credit union your funds were taken.
How to track down someone who scammed you? ›
How To Track Down Someone Who Scammed You (and What To Do Next)
- Collect evidence of the fraud. ...
- Don't bother with “people finder” or phone number lookup services. ...
- Fill out an official FTC identity theft report. ...
- File a report with your local law enforcement. ...
- Report online scammers to the platform on which they contacted you.
You think a scammer has stolen your personal information
Complete a report through ReportCyber. Make yourself a harder target: Secure your social media and other personal accounts, such as your email. Change the passwords to any other accounts you think the scammer may have accessed, or to which they now have access.
What do I do if a scammer sends me a check? ›
If you think you've been targeted by a counterfeit check scam, report it immediately to any of the following agencies:
- The U.S. Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov (if you received the check in the mail).
- Your state or local consumer protection agencies.
If you've been a victim of fraud, identity theft, or deceptive business practices, you can report them to the Federal Trade Commission. In 2022 alone, the FTC was able to issue more than $392 million in refunds to people who lost money to illegal business practices.
Can someone take back money from a check? ›
Once a check has been cashed, you cannot ask a financial institution to issue a stop payment. In the case of fraud or theft, or if your checks were stolen and you report the theft to your bank, there is a chance you can get your money back.
What happens if someone deposits a stolen check? ›
Your bank needs to know that someone has cashed a fraudulent check in your name. Contact your financial institution's fraud department and explain what happened. They'll most likely ask you to complete an Affidavit of Check Fraud. This is a legal document that states the check was forged.
