How to get your money back after a scam

How did you pay?

How you go about getting your money back, and how successful you’re likely to be, will depend on how the money was paid.

If you used a debit card, you may be able to ask your bank to get your money back through the chargeback scheme.

Chargeback is not enshrined in law but is part of Scheme Rules, which participating banks subscribe to.

It applies to all debit card transactions including goods costing less than £100, although exact rules may vary between the American Express, Maestro and Visa networks.

But, there are no guarantees your bank will be able to recover the money through chargeback.

Chargeback also applies to credit card transactions where goods cost less than £100, so section 75 doesn’t apply.

If you want to use chargeback to get your money back after a scam, this letter template could help.

A bank transfer scam, also known as an authorised push payment (APP) scam, occurs when you - knowingly or unwittingly - transfer money from your own bank account to one belonging to a scammer.

If you've been caught out by a complex and convincing scam which has resulted in you transferring your money into another bank account, then you should contact your bank immediately.

Tell the bank what happened, and let it know the bank account number your money was sent to.

The bank can try and recover the funds once it has been notified.

If your bank is signed up to the voluntary Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) code, it has to take a number of steps to protect customers and reimburse blameless victims of APP scams.

Read our guide detailed guide to get your money back after a bank transfer or authorised push payment scam.

If you've paid for goods or services with a credit or debit card, you have greater protection if things go wrong under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act or by using chargeback.

But whether you can make a claim or not depends on the type of scam you have fallen for.

An example of a scam where you could use Section 75 or chargeback would be a scam where you paid for goods or services and it turned out these were either never available or the 'seller' disappeared.

Credit cards have the greatest protection, as you can make a claim against your card provider under Section 75. Under Section 75, the credit card company is jointly and severally liable for any breach of contract or misrepresentation by the company.

For Section 75 to apply the item or service you bought must have cost more than £100 and not more than £30,000.

Order not delivered

If the scammer took payment for an item through PayPal but failed to send it, you should be covered by PayPal Buyer Protection. However, there are some exceptions and time limits on lodging a claim.

In some cases, scammers set up convincing fake PayPal payment forms which actually just gather your bank details.

Fake PayPal payment page

This is when the scammer has used PayPal branding to make fraudulent activity look legitimate.

As PayPal isn't part of the transaction, you won't be able to claim your money back via PayPal Buyer Protection.

Seller protection

Sellers can be scammed when a fraudster pays for an item via PayPal. The scammer may say that they didn't receive the item and make a claim through PayPal Buyer Protection or Section 75.

If you’re caught out by this scam you’ll probably want to make a claim under PayPal Seller Protection.

But this has conditions and requirements - particularly around the delivery address that's used and the seller having proof of delivery.

As long as you’ve met all of the criteria you should be protected.

In some instances, the scammer will be aware of these rules and will specify a different delivery address or collect in person.

In these scenarios, you wouldn't be covered by seller protection as you didn't meet the condition of posting the item to the account holder’s registered address.

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to get your cash back after a scam.

This is also the case if the scam involved gift cards or vouchers. Make sure you never share the numbers on the back of gift cards or vouchers with people you don't know.

Report the fraud to the police and Trading Standards to see if they can take any action.

Talking to others about what's happened, and hearing about the experiences of others who have been through the same experience can help. You can get in touch with support groups through charities such as Citizen's Advice, Victim Support and Age UK.

If there is a transaction on your card that you don't recognise, you can make a claim to your bank.

If you've handed over your card to have a particular amount debited from it, and then you find more money has been taken without your permission, or a sum has been taken by someone else, you can make a claim for this additional amount.

The Payment Services Regulations and the Banking Conduct of Business rules place obligations on banks and building societies to provide a refund in these circumstances.

Make sure you report the unauthorised transaction as soon as you become aware of it.

Problems getting your money back after a scam?

Different banks might have different policies on reimbursing victims of fraud, but all banks have a responsibility to protect your money.

If you think your bank hasn’t handled your case properly, you have the right to challenge its decision.

Emotional support after a scam

Being scammed can take a huge toll on your mental health. You might find it helpful to talk to someone about what you’re going through. It’s not your fault, and there are plenty of non-judgemental advice lines you can call who will understand.