APP fraud occurs when someone is tricked into voluntarily sending money to a fraudster. Unlike traditional bank fraud, the victim initiates the transfer believing it’s going to a legitimate account.

Common APP scams include:

• Investment scams - fake investment opportunities promising high returns.

• Romance scams - where fraudsters form fake relationships to gain trust and request money.

• Invoice scams - fraudsters pose as a trusted company or contractor and change payment details.

• Impersonation scams - pretending to be from a bank, HMRC or another trusted body.

Fraudsters typically:

• Create a sense of urgency or panic, e.g: claiming your account has been compromised.
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• Pretend to be a trusted figure or organisation, such as a bank employee, solicitor or government body.
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• Provide convincing but fake information, like official-looking emails, texts or invoices.
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• Instruct you to transfer money into what they say is a "safe account."Because you authorise the payment, banks often treat it differently to unauthorised fraud making it harder to get a refund without a claim.

Compensation is typically based on the amount you lost, plus potential interest.

For example:

• If you lost £20,000 to an investment scam, you could potentially recover the full amount, depending on the circumstances.
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• In some cases, partial refunds may be offered if the bank claims you didn’t take adequate care, but this can often be challenged.

Yes. Banks often reject APP fraud claims at first, but many decisions can be overturned by:

• Providing evidence that you acted reasonably.

• Showing the bank failed in its duty of care.

• Escalating to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) or via a claims management company.

We regularly help clients who have been turned down by their bank to successfully reclaim their money.

You usually have up to six years from the date the payment was made to bring a claim. However, it’s best to act as soon as possible as evidence such as messages, emails and call records is easier to gather early on.

While each case is different, useful evidence includes:

• Bank statements showing the payment.

• Text messages, emails, or letters from the scammer.

• Notes of phone calls or conversations.

• Any warnings (or lack of warnings) given by your bank before the transfer.

If you don’t have all this information, don’t worry - we can help gather the necessary documents.

• Bank impersonation scams - fake calls claiming to be from your bank.
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• Property deposit fraud - scammers posing as solicitors to steal house deposits.
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• Pension or investment scams - fake opportunities with guaranteed high returns.
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• Romance scams - tricking victims through online relationships.
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• Invoice scams - fraudsters intercept legitimate invoices and change payment details.

Even if the fraudster is overseas, you can still pursue a claim against your UK bank. The focus is on whether your bank acted correctly and followed anti-fraud protocols, not on tracking down the fraudster directly.

No. We operate on a strict no-win, no-fee basis.
We will charge you a fee based on a sliding scale from 18%-36% (inclusive of VAT) of your compensation. We will charge a termination fee if you cancel your agreement with us after the 14 days cancellation period, please read our Terms and conditions for more information.

No. Your credit score and existing agreements won’t be impacted.

Yes. Your data is handled securely and only used to manage your claim.

No. CMCs don’t require clients to enter into insurance policies.

Yes, in many cases you can. Banks are part of the Contingent Reimbursement Model Code (CRM Code), which sets rules for when victims should be reimbursed. You may be eligible to claim if:

• You were misled or tricked into transferring money.

• The bank failed to take reasonable steps to detect or prevent the fraud.

• The fraud involved deception or impersonation by the scammer.

Even if your bank has already refused to refund you, a claim can still be made if there’s evidence of failings on their part.

You may be eligible if:

• The payment was made from your personal or business account.
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• The transfer was made from a UK bank account
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• You were the victim of a scam where you authorised the payment under false pretences.
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• The bank did not follow correct procedures to protect you, such as:
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• Not issuing proper warnings about potential scams.
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• Failing to detect unusual activity or high-risk transactions.
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• Not following anti-fraud protocols outlined in the CRM Code.

Timelines vary, but typical stages include:

• Initial review of your case - usually within a few days.
• Submission to the bank - banks have up to 8 weeks to respond.
• If the bank rejects the claim, we can escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman Service which may take several months.

We work on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning:

• No upfront costs.
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• We only charge a percentage of the compensation if your claim is successful.
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• The exact percentage will be clearly explained before we begin work on your case.

Yes. You can cancel anytime in writing. You will not be charged if cancelled within 14 days.

No fee during the 14-day cooling-off period. After that, a reasonable charge may apply if work has been done. The maximum fee that you will be charged before receiving an offer of settlement will be £240 +VAT as per our terms of engagement. If you cancel after receiving an offer of settlement, or if you receive an offer of settlement then our usual fees will apply.