Changes to how we reimburse you for APP scams

6 September 2024

4 min read

The Payment Systems Regulator is introducing a new regulatory requirement for victims of authorised push payment (APP) scams. This is called the APP Reimbursement Regulation and comes into effect on 7 October 2024.

What does the APP Reimbursement Regulation mean?

It means that in most cases, protected customers who become victims of APP scams will get a refund. It will offer more protection for customers who may previously not have been able to seek reimbursement through their bank. These changes will be reflected in your account terms and conditions and we'll contact you about this in due course.

You'll still need to take care when making payments because a refund is not guaranteed in all cases and some exceptions do apply. You can read more about what is covered and not covered in the following sections.

When you report an APP scam to us, in most cases we'll refund your account within 5 business days. In rare cases we may need more time to investigate but we'll provide an outcome within 35 business days.

Be aware of fake emails about this regulation

We will never email you asking you to click on a link to update your information.

What is an authorised push payment (APP) scam?

An APP scam is when you're tricked into sending money to a different person or for a different reason than you intended. There are many types, which all involve a scammer impersonating someone. It could mean tempting you with a fake offer or tricking you into paying into an account controlled by a fraudster.

It's important to be aware of common scams and the steps you can take to stay safe and prevent yourself from losing your money as part of a scam. You can read about common fraud threats to be aware of.

What is and is not covered under the APP Reimbursement Regulation?

Here's what will and will not be covered by the regulation.

You will be covered for:

Payments to UK accounts
Payments made using Faster Payments (a quick way of sending money between bank accounts) or CHAPS
Payments from personal accounts, or business accounts if made by micro-enterprises and certain charities:
– A microenterprise, which is a business (or a group of businesses of which it forms part of) whose annual turnover and/or balance sheet total does not exceed 2million Euros (or the equivalent in Sterling) and employs fewer than ten people.
– A charity whose annual income is less than £1 million.

There's no minimum amount you can claim for.

The maximum we’ll refund under the regulation is £85,000.

We reserve the right to apply a maximum of £100 excess for each claim.

You will not be covered for:

Payments to international accounts
Payments from business accounts which are not owned by micro-enterprises or certain charities
Payments where you've been significantly careless by not taking the steps to protect yourself from being victim to an APP scam, such as ignoring advice from us
Payments using BACS, cash, cheque, or a credit, debit or prepaid card
Payments to another account that you control
Payments that are part of a civil dispute, such as if you've paid a genuine seller but you're not satisfied with what you've received
Payments where you've acted fraudulently yourself – including if you've lied or misrepresented your circumstances for financial gain
Payments which are unlawful, such as for an illegal item
Payments to and from an account with a credit union, municipal bank or national savings bank (state-owned savings bank in the UK).

Think you've been the victim of an APP scam?

Even if you do not think you can claim, please contact us immediately on 159 or the number on the back of your card. We review each report on a case-by-case basis in line with industry standards.

Retail customers - read more about reporting scams
Business customers - read more about reporting scams

How you can protect yourself and what to do if you're a victim of an APP scam

To help protect yourself, make sure you always:

Follow our fraud warnings and guidance, such as alerts that the payment you're making is or could be fraud or a scam
Follow any instructions from the police or the National Crime Agency.

Whenever we ask you to take action when you're trying to make a payment (to make sure you're not being scammed), it's important that you take the actions we recommend before attempting to make the payment again.

If you believe you've been the victim of an APP scam:

You must report the scam as soon as you can, and no more than 13 months after the last fraudulent payment was made.
We may ask you for additional information about your claim – please make sure you respond to these requests.
Once you've made a claim, we may ask you to report the details of the fraud to the police, or offer to do this for you – you'll need to consent to this.

Remember do not blame yourself. Anyone could be the victim of a scam.