Step 1: Contact your bank immediately
Call your bank’s fraud line as soon as you realise you’ve been scammed. Use the number on the back of your card or dial 159, the national anti-fraud hotline that connects you directly to your bank.
Tell them what happened, provide details of the fraudulent payments, and ask them to attempt to recover the funds. They should also begin processing your reimbursement claim.
Step 2: Report to Action Fraud
Report the fraud to Action Fraud (the UK’s national fraud reporting centre) online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.
You’ll receive a crime reference number. Keep this safe — your bank may require it as part of your claim, and it’s needed for your FOS complaint if you escalate.
Step 3: Preserve evidence
Keep screenshots of all communications with the scammer — messages, emails, social media profiles, websites, transaction confirmations. Don’t delete anything.
Keep copies of your bank statements showing the fraudulent payments. Note down the timeline: when you first had contact, what was said, when payments were made, and when you realised it was a scam.
Step 4: If your bank refuses
If your bank rejects your claim, request a written final response explaining their reasoning. You then have 6 months to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman.
At this stage, consider whether professional representation could strengthen your case. A well-prepared FOS complaint citing specific regulatory obligations is significantly more likely to succeed.