Fraud and scams

Last updated: 31st May 2019

Every year we see thousands of complaints involving fraud and scams. The circumstances are wide-ranging, from disputed card transactions and cash machine withdrawals to online banking fraud and identity theft.

Types of complaints we see

People typically bring their complaint to us when their bank refuses to refund the money that’s been lost. The range of complaints we see is constantly evolving as fraudsters develop new – and increasingly sophisticated – methods. Some fraud and scams can be very convincing - for example, using fake websites that look identical to banks’ online systems, or text messages that to all intents and purposes look like they’re from someone’s bank.

A large portion of the complaints we see fall into the following three categories:

plastic card transactions that the customer tells us they didn’t make or authorise – such as purchases of goods or services online or in stores or nightclubs, for example
scams where the customer was tricked into handing over their bank details, allowing the fraudster to take money from their account without their consent
scams where the customer was tricked into transferring money to the fraudster’s account – often because they believed they were making a payment to their bank or another trusted organisation

What we look at

To help us consider a complaint fairly, we'll ask you to provide some information. We’ll make our decision about what happened using evidence provided by you, the bank and any relevant third parties. In reaching a decision, we consider:

the relevant law
any regulations that applied at the time
any industry codes of conduct in force at the time
the terms and conditions of the account that the disputed transaction was made from

How to complain

The first thing you should do is explain to the business what's happened and why you're complaining. They should look into things and reply within 15 days.

If you’re not happy with their response, or the business doesn't reply in time, you can bring your complaint to us. We’ll check it’s something we can deal with, and if it is, we’ll investigate.

Find out more about how to make a complaint.

Putting things right

If we find you’ve been treated unfairly, we'll ask the business to put things right. This usually involves putting you back in the position you’d be in if things hadn’t gone wrong. It'll depend on the nature and type of complaint but it might include, for example, asking a business to refund a disputed transaction and consider the impact it had on you and your account, including interest and charges.

Case Studies

A customer was asked to transfer money as her account was under threat

Nadia contacted us after the bank refused to refund £100,000 of her money she was persuaded to send to a fraudster by a sophisticated social engineering scam.

A customer was told she needed to pay a tax bill - or face arrest

Grace was at home with her two young children – her husband was working abroad at the time. She received a call from someone saying they were from HMRC and she needed to pay a tax bill or she would be deported and a warrant for her arrest would be issued

A customer bought a phone from an online auction site

Paul agreed to buy an iPhone 8 for £300 through an online auction site. When it came to payment the seller asked that Paul make a bank transfer rather than using the auction site’s recommended payment channel, as they said it was quicker and there wouldn’t be any fees to pay.

Detailed information for businesses

If you're a business looking for information to help you resolve complaints, detailed information about fraud and scams complaints can be found in the business section of our website.