Reporting a scam is only the first step. A bank or payment provider may decline to reimburse a payment the customer authorised, or handle the case slowly. The Financial Ombudsman Service, a free dispute-resolution service, can look at how the firm behaved. This guide summarises what the Ombudsman’s own pages say about complaining after a scam in the UK, including the order of steps, the time limits and the evidence it asks for. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not cover how to recover money from the scammer.
What the Ombudsman can and cannot do
The Ombudsman describes the typical case as an “authorised push payment” (APP) or bank transfer scam, in which a person is persuaded to move money to an account controlled by a fraudster. It lists examples such as paying a fake invoice, making a fake investment, paying into an account in the person’s own name before sending crypto to the fraudster (sometimes called a “me-to-me” scam), and paying someone believed to be legitimate. It also covers card payments to a fake investment or for goods that never arrive, and cash withdrawals handed over for work that is never done.
The Ombudsman says it cannot solve the crime itself, which is a matter for the police. What it can do is investigate how the bank or payment provider dealt with the situation. It adds that not every dispute is a scam: where someone bought from a legitimate business and the goods or work were poor, that may be a civil dispute rather than a scam, and it will consider which it is.
First steps after a scam
The Ombudsman’s advice for anyone who thinks they have been scammed is to:
- contact the bank or payment services provider immediately;
- contact the police on 101;
- report the scam to Report Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime;
- keep records of all contact and correspondence with the scammer, which helps when asking for reimbursement and if a complaint is needed later.
The guide to where to report a scam in the UK lists the reporting routes, and the guide to bank transfer scams covers the reimbursement rules.
Complain to the firm first
The Ombudsman says the complaint must normally go to the company involved before it can be brought to the Ombudsman. On scams, it says the firm must respond within 15 days, either with an answer or an explanation of why it cannot yet answer, and must then send a response within 35 days. The Ombudsman’s general complaints page says that for most complaints a business has up to 8 weeks, but only 15 days for complaints about fraud and scams and payment services such as bank transfers or direct debits.
The firm’s reply is called a final response. It should set out the outcome and how to take the complaint further. The Ombudsman says a complaint must be made to it within 6 months from the date on the final response, and that it can look at a complaint where the firm has not replied within the time limits.
Bringing the complaint to the Ombudsman
Using the Ombudsman is free, and it says nobody needs to pay a lawyer or claims management company to represent them. A family member or friend can help. The complaint is made through an online form. The Ombudsman says it usually asks for:
- all correspondence with the scammer, such as emails, call records and text messages;
- a detailed description of the events as they unfolded;
- any contracts, invoices or other documents relating to the scam or payments;
- old bank statements in some cases, to understand where the money came from;
- whether anyone else’s money is involved;
- anything remembered about conversations with the bank when payments were made;
- whether adjustments are needed to make the process easier.
The Ombudsman also asks anyone who uses AI to complete the form to read its guidelines first, and says it helps to hear about events in the person’s own words.
What the Ombudsman considers
The Ombudsman says it decides using evidence from the customer, the firm and any relevant third parties, and considers what was in place at the time of the payments. That includes the relevant law and regulations, the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) Code, the Faster Payments Scheme and CHAPS reimbursement rules, good industry practice or regulatory guidance, and the account terms and conditions. Special rules may apply to APP fraud, so the bank may have to reimburse. The APP rules cover individuals, charities with annual income under £1 million and micro-enterprises, not larger businesses. Where the rules do not apply, the Ombudsman says it can still consider whether the bank should have suspected a scam and done more.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know exactly how the scammer tricked me?
No. The Ombudsman says that if a person is not sure exactly how the scammer tricked them, it can still look at the case, and a specialist will help.
The bottom line
After a scam, the sequence is to tell the bank, report to the police and Report Fraud, and complain to the firm. If the firm’s answer is unsatisfactory or slow, the Financial Ombudsman Service can investigate how the firm handled the case, provided the complaint reaches it within 6 months of the final response. Keeping every message and document makes that process easier.