1. The assessment
When you submit details about what happened to you, our APP fraud specialists will assess your case free of charge to see if we can help. We’ll review the details of your scam, when and how it happened, and determine if your bank should have protected you better. We’ll let you know whether we can help.
2. The bank
If we can help, a firm on our panel will send you a No Win No Fee agreement to sign. Once you sign the agreement, they will prepare your individual case and submit a bespoke claim to your bank. They will advocate for your reimbursement under the new APP fraud reimbursement rules and handle all communications.
3. The Financial Ombudsman Service
If needed, the assigned firm submits a comprehensive case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) on your behalf. As of 1st April, FOS charges law firms £250 to receive a case – your assigned firm will cover this cost in their No Win No Fee agreement.
If successful, you receive the money back into your account, less the panel firm’s fees. Of course, you are updated throughout so that you know what’s happening, and your case is handled to maximise the chances of you being successfully reimbursed, even when banks have rejected your attempt so far.
If unsuccessful, you won’t pay a penny.
If the assigned firm is able to settle your case with your bank, we could get your money back within 15-20 days, especially with the new October 2024 reimbursement rules, but banks are able to ‘stop the clock’ so it could take longer. Your assigned firm will keep you posted.
If the bank refuses to refund you, they will need to take your complaint to FOS. Once it’s with FOS, timelines can vary widely. It can take anywhere between a few weeks to several months, depending on case complexity.
The new APP reimbursement rules require banks to assess claims within 5 business days in most cases, which can significantly speed up the process compared to before, but banks can ‘stop the clock’ as mentioned above. Either way, our panel of specialists will do what they can to help you quickly and efficiently.
We can help with a wide range of APP scams, including but not limited to:
- Cryptocurrency scams – fake investment platforms, pig butchering schemes, recovery scams
- Romance scams – when someone builds a relationship to manipulate you into sending money
- Investment scams – fake investment opportunities promising high returns
- Impersonation scams – fraudsters pretending to be your bank, HMRC, or other trusted organizations
- Purchase scams – paying for goods or services that never arrive
- Invoice fraud – when criminals intercept and alter genuine payment details
If you’re unsure whether your scam qualifies, contact us for a free assessment.
Under the new FPS Reimbursement Rules (effective October 7, 2024), you’re generally eligible for reimbursement if:
- You were genuinely deceived (not simply making a payment error)
- You exercised reasonable caution
- You report the scam within 13 months
- The scam occurred after October 7, 2024
- The payment was made through the Faster Payment Service
Prior to this date, many banks in the UK signed up to a voluntary reimbursement scheme so it may still be possible to bring a claim – just let us know and we can assess the likely merits of your claim at no charge to you.
Even if your bank has rejected your claim, we may still be able to help. Our experts understand the nuances of the regulations and can often identify grounds for appeal that you might have missed.
Many of our clients come to us after their bank has initially refused their claim. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get your money back.
Banks sometimes incorrectly apply the Consumer Standard of Caution Exception or fail to properly consider vulnerability factors. Our team of specialists knows how to challenge these decisions effectively.
If necessary, they can escalate your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which have the power to poetntially overturn the bank’s decision. The FOS upholds around 75% of APP fraud complaints in favour of consumers.