How quickly should my bank refund a payment I didn't make?

As soon as practicable, and no later than the end of the business day after it becomes aware of the unauthorised payment, under regulation 76 of the Payment Services Regulations 2017. The only exception is where the bank has reasonable grounds to suspect fraud by you and reports those grounds in writing to the authorities.

My bank says I was grossly negligent. What does that mean?

It means the bank says you were so careless with your card or security details that you should bear the whole loss. Gross negligence is a higher standard than ordinary carelessness, and the FCA describes it as requiring a very significant degree of carelessness. The bank has to prove it, and under regulation 75(4) it must give you the evidence it relies on. Ask for that in writing.

Is there a time limit for reporting an unauthorised payment?

Yes. You must tell your bank without undue delay once you notice, and in any event within 13 months of the date the money left your account. The 13-month limit does not apply if the bank failed to give you the required information about the payment.

I read out a code to someone who called me. Can I still get a refund?

Often, yes. If the caller used the code to make payments you did not agree to, those payments are unauthorised and the bank must refund them unless it can show you acted fraudulently or with gross negligence. Sharing a code with a convincing caller is not automatically gross negligence; it depends on the circumstances, including how the call was made to look genuine.

What if the bank refuses or doesn't reply?

Make a formal written complaint. For payment services complaints, the bank must give a final response within 15 business days, or within 35 business days in exceptional circumstances after a holding reply. You then have 6 months from the final response to take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free.

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There's a Payment on My Account I Didn't Make. Will My Bank Refund It?

A card payment or transfer you didn't make is an unauthorised transaction. Your bank must usually refund it by the next business day and …