Guides › Banking Scams and Fraud › Monzo Scam Refund: Getting Your Money Back
Monzo Scam Refund: Getting Your Money Back
Consumer Protection UK is independent and is not connected to Monzo. Monzo says it reimburses authorised push payment (APP) scams up to £85,000, usually within 5 business days or up to 35 for complex cases. It may not pay the first £100, and it will not cover fraud reported more than 13 months after the last payment, or cases of gross negligence. Report it to Monzo and the police straight away.
At a Glance
Guide Disclaimer
Free guide only. This is a regulated financial matter, so we give free information and letter templates here but do not take these on as cases. We cannot tell you whether you are eligible for a refund or compensation.
CPUK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is not a claims management company.
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Monzo's Policy
What Monzo Says
Monzo says to report fraud as soon as you realise, to Monzo and the police. It reimburses up to £85,000, within 5 business days or up to 35 business days for complex cases. It may not pay the first £100 of a claim, deciding case by case. It excludes fraud reported more than 13 months after the final payment, gross negligence, falsified claims and civil disputes. You can complain to Monzo, then the Financial Ombudsman Service. source
The Reimbursement Rules
The Reimbursement Scheme
If you were tricked into making a UK Faster Payments or CHAPS bank transfer (an 'APP scam'), the scheme covers payments made on or after 7 October 2024. It covers individuals, very small businesses and charities. source
The Excess
A bank may apply an optional excess of up to 100 pounds, or none. It cannot apply the excess to a vulnerable customer. source
When You May Not Be Reimbursed
You may not be reimbursed if you were complicit in the fraud or grossly negligent, which the Payment Systems Regulator says is a high bar. The gross negligence exception does not apply to vulnerable customers. source
Complaining to the Ombudsman
If your bank refuses or you are unhappy with how it handled a scam, you can complain to the bank and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free. Its compensation limit is 430,000 pounds, and it can look at cases where losses are over 85,000 pounds. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 13 monthsReport an APP scam or unauthorised paymentWithin 13 months of the payment, but as soon as possible
- 5 business daysBank transfer scam reimbursementWithin 5 business days of your claim, up to 35 business days if the bank needs more information
- £85,000Maximum bank transfer scam reimbursement85,000 pounds, for payments from 7 October 2024
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 4
Report the scam to Monzo in the app straight away, and to the police through Report Fraud.
Step 2 of 4
Give Monzo the information it asks for.
Step 3 of 4
If Monzo refuses or offers less than you expected, ask why in writing and make a complaint. Our free letter templates can help.
Step 4 of 4
If you are unhappy with its final answer, go to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Your Bank's Complaints Team
Always start here, in writing, once your bank has refused or not replied.
Financial Ombudsman Service
You are unhappy with your bank's final response. It is free, and its limit is 430,000 pounds.
Report Fraud (Police)
Report any scam. Your bank may also ask you to report it.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
The excess cannot be applied to vulnerable customers under the scheme rules.
Want Help?
We do not take these complaints as cases, but our free letter templates can write your complaint for you, and the Financial Ombudsman Service is free.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- monzo.com/help/monzo-fraud-category/Getting-your-money-back-authorised-push-payment-fraud Checked 12 October 2026
- psr.org.uk/information-for-consumers/app-fraud-reimbursement-protections Checked 13 October 2026
- reportfraud.police.uk Checked 12 October 2026