Victim of crypto fraud through First Direct?
You may be entitled to a refund.
If you've lost money to crypto fraud and the payment was sent from your First Direct account, the law may require First Direct to reimburse you. We handle the entire process — no win, no fee.
Check if you can claim →Free, no-obligation eligibility check. Takes 5 minutes.
Up to £85k
PSR reimbursement cap
Part of
£97.7m investment fraud losses H1 2025
5 days
First Direct must respond
About CRYPTOCURRENCY FRAUD
How crypto fraud affects First Direct customers
Cryptocurrency fraud has grown rapidly as digital currencies have become more mainstream. Scammers create fake crypto trading platforms, impersonate legitimate exchanges, or use social media to promote fraudulent token offerings. Victims typically transfer money from their UK bank account to what they believe is a crypto exchange or investment platform, only to find the platform is fake or their funds cannot be withdrawn.
Read our full guide to crypto fraud →Common warning signs
Why FIRST DIRECT May Owe You a Refund
Legal grounds for claiming against First Direct for crypto fraud
PSR mandatory reimbursement
Since October 2024, First Direct must reimburse eligible APP fraud victims up to £85,000 for payments via Faster Payments and CHAPS within 5 business days.
Failure to detect crypto fraud transaction patterns
First Direct should identify transaction patterns consistent with crypto fraud. First Direct should identify payments to known or suspected fraudulent crypto platforms, flag multiple transfers to cryptocurrency exchanges from customers without a pattern of such transactions, and apply enhanced fraud warnings for payments potentially linked to crypto investment scams.
Financial Ombudsman escalation
If First Direct refuses, the FOS can independently review and award up to £430,000. We handle the entire escalation process.
First Direct is a signatory to the voluntary CRM Code, which provides additional grounds for your claim.
How It Works
How we recover your money
Tell us what happened
Share the details of the crypto fraud and the payments sent from your First Direct account.
We build your case
Our legal team identifies the strongest regulatory arguments specific to crypto fraud claims against First Direct.
We pursue First Direct
We submit a formal complaint citing the specific obligations breached, and chase every deadline.
Resolution
If your claim succeeds, you receive your refund minus our agreed fee. If we don’t recover anything, you pay nothing.
Common Questions
Cryptocurrency Fraud claims against First Direct
This is a common misunderstanding. What matters is how the payment left your bank account, not what it was used for. If you transferred money via Faster Payments or CHAPS from your UK bank account — even if it went to a crypto exchange — the PSR mandatory reimbursement rules may apply. We challenge banks that incorrectly refuse claims on this basis.
We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis under a Damages-Based Agreement. If your claim is unsuccessful, you pay nothing. If we recover funds for you, our fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. The exact percentage is clearly explained before you sign anything, as required by SRA regulations.
The PSR mandatory reimbursement scheme applies to payments made within 13 months. For older cases, the Financial Ombudsman can consider complaints up to 6 years from the event, or 3 years from when you became aware. We can assess your eligibility during the free initial review.
Other fraud types against First Direct
Claim crypto fraud against other banks
Cryptocurrency Fraud through First Direct? Check your eligibility.
Free eligibility assessment. No obligation. Takes 5 minutes.
Check your eligibility →