What to do if you're caught out by a scammer

1. Report it

Scams are a criminal offence under the Fraud Act and you should report them. It’s estimated that 95% of scam victims don’t report what’s happened to them. Some scam victims feel embarrassed or guilty, but there’s really no need to. The scammer is 100% to blame, not the victim.

The only way to stop scammers, and prevent them doing it again, is to report them. Contact you bank or building society to report any loss of money and also report cases to Action Fraud.

The information you give will help the authorities to take action, and could save others from falling victim to the same scam.

2. Talk about it

Being a victim of a scam could leave you feeling upset, anxious, guilty or scared. Talk to a close friend or relative about your feelings – they should be able to reassure you. If you’re feeling low, talk to your GP, who may be able to refer you to a counsellor.

3. See if you can get your money back

Losing money to a scam can be extremely upsetting, and leave a big hole in your pocket. Financial losses from fraud are rising. In 2016, Britons lost £769m to financial fraud, up £14m compared with the previous year. The average victim of cybercrime loses £520, according to a 2016 survey by Get Safe Online, but, unfortunately, you can’t always get your money back.

Your rights to reimbursement depend on whether the transaction was:

Unauthorised: something you didn’t know about or approve; or
Authorised: something that you approved and willingly agreed to.

Banks and building societies are obliged, under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 and the Banking Conduct of Business rules, to reimburse unauthorised fraudulent losses, as long as they believe that you took all reasonable steps to protect your financial details.

But, be warned – if a scammer talks you into giving away cash or your account details, it’s very unlikely that your bank will reimburse you. Currently, there are no rules surrounding authorised payments and banks don’t have to pay you back.

Which? Consumer Rights offers advice on how to get your money back after a scam in various circumstances. It explains what action to take if you’ve lost money via a credit card, debit card, bank transfer, PayPal or wire transfer.

If you believe that your bank or building society has wrongly refused to reimburse losses that were a result of an unauthorised transaction, you can take your dispute to the Financial Ombudsman Service.