I have just been scammed — what do I do right now?

Take a breath. The next few hours matter, but you are not alone and you are not without rights. Here is the order of operations that gives you the best chance of getting the money back under UK law.

Should I call my bank or report to the police first?

Call your bank first. The bank is the only party that can ask the receiving bank to attempt to freeze the funds, and that window narrows by the hour. Action Fraud (or Police Scotland) is important and required by the PSR scheme, but it can wait a few hours.

What if I sent the money on a weekend or overnight?

Call the 24-hour fraud number on the back of your card immediately — every UK retail bank operates a 24/7 fraud line. Do not wait until Monday. Faster Payments settle in seconds, but the receiving account can sometimes still be frozen if a request lands quickly.

Is it too late if it happened a few days ago?

No. The funds may not be recoverable from the receiving account, but the refund itself comes from your sending bank under the PSR Mandatory Reimbursement Scheme. You have 13 months from the last fraudulent payment to bring the claim. Start the steps below now.

Will reporting it affect my credit score?

No. Filing a fraud report does not mark your credit file. What can affect your credit file is identity theft enabled by the same scammer — which is why we recommend a CIFAS protective registration if you shared identity documents.

The scammer is still messaging me. What do I do?

Stop responding. Block the number, the email and the social media account. Take screenshots first as evidence (you will need them). Do not confront, threaten, or try to negotiate — that almost never recovers the money and can be used against you later.

Should I tell my family or friends?

Yes — particularly if any of them might be approached by the same scammer or sent payment requests in your name. Romance scams and impersonation scams often target several family members in sequence. Telling people early breaks the cycle.

Scam Refund · Urgent

I have just been scammed — what do I do right now?

Right now, in the next ten minutes:

Everything else can wait until that call is made.

Step 1 — Call your bank

Every UK retail bank operates a 24/7 fraud line. The number is on the back of your debit card and on the bank’s website. When you get through, use the phrase “authorised push payment fraud” or “APP fraud” — that triggers the right internal process under the Payment Systems Regulator’s rules. Ask the agent to attempt to recall the funds from the receiving bank, and to escalate to the bank’s fraud team rather than handling it on the front-line. Get a case reference number before you hang up.

Step 2 — Get it in writing

Within the same day, send a short follow-up email to your bank’s fraud team or its complaints inbox. State the date, amount and beneficiary of each fraudulent payment, the case reference number from the call, and a single sentence: “I require reimbursement under the PSR Mandatory Reimbursement Scheme.” That email starts the bank’s five-working-day clock. Save the sent copy. If the bank later disputes that you reported promptly, this is your evidence.

Step 3 — Report to Action Fraud

Within 24 hours, file a report at

actionfraud.police.uk

or call 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. You will be issued a National Fraud Reporting Centre reference number; the PSR scheme requires you to provide this to the bank if asked. Action Fraud will not investigate your individual case in most instances, but the report itself is a customer-standard requirement and a missing one is the kind of technicality banks have used to refuse refunds.

Step 4 — Lock down your other accounts

Change your online banking password and enable two-factor authentication if it was not already on. Change your email password if you used the same one. If you shared card details, ask the bank to cancel and reissue the card. If you shared identity documents (passport, driving licence, utility bill), file a CIFAS protective registration at

— it costs around £25 for two years and tells lenders to apply extra checks before opening accounts in your name.

Step 5 — Preserve the evidence

Take screenshots of every message, every webpage, every email, every social media profile. Save them as files with the date in the filename. Note the name and number of any caller. Download bank statements showing the payments. Do not delete the scammer’s messages even if you have blocked them. The single biggest reason refund claims are denied at the Financial Ombudsman is missing evidence; the second is edited evidence. Keep originals untouched.

Step 6 — Tell the people who need to know

Tell your partner, your accountant if it affects business funds, and any family member who might be approached next. Many scams target a household in sequence. If the scam involved a fake invoice from a real supplier or builder, call the real supplier and warn them their email address has been spoofed — they may have other clients being targeted. If the loss is significant, consider mentioning it to your GP; the FCA recognises that scam shock can have serious mental-health effects and there is no shame in seeking support.

Step 7 — Wait for the bank’s decision

Under the PSR scheme the bank has five working days to reimburse you or to write to you with a decision. It can extend by up to 35 working days if more investigation is needed, but only if it tells you within the original five-day window. If the bank refunds you, the matter is closed. If it refuses, you have six months from its final response letter to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service — free, independent, and binding on the bank if you accept its decision.

Ready to file the formal claim?

Once the immediate steps are done, we will assemble a PSR-aligned bank complaint and a Financial Ombudsman pack for a fixed £39. No CMC fee. You keep 100% of any refund.