Guides › Banking Scams and Fraud › Payment I Did Not Make: Getting a Refund
Payment I Did Not Make: Getting a Refund
If a payment was made without your permission, contact your bank within 13 months. The money should be back in your account by the end of the next business day, with any charges and interest. A bank can refuse only if you authorised the payment, acted fraudulently, or failed to protect your card, PIN or password in a way that allowed it.
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.
Payments You Did Not Make
Unauthorised Payments
If a payment was made without your permission (an unauthorised payment), contact your bank within 13 months. The money should reach your account by the end of the next business day, together with any charges and interest you paid or lost because of the payment. source
When a Bank Can Refuse
A bank can refuse an unauthorised payment refund only if you authorised the payment, acted fraudulently, or failed to protect your card, PIN or password in a way that allowed the payment. If your card was lost or stolen and you did not report it, you may have to pay up to 35 pounds. source
Cards, Cash and Cheques
Card, cash and cheque payments have separate protections from the bank transfer scheme. For card payments, see the Section 75 and chargeback routes. source
If Your Bank Refuses
Credit Card Claims
If you paid by credit card, you may also be able to claim from the card provider under Section 75 or through a chargeback. 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
- Next business dayUnauthorised payment refundBy the end of the next business day
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Contact your bank straight away and say the payment was not made by you.
Step 2 of 5
Ask for the refund by the end of the next business day, with any charges and interest.
Step 3 of 5
If the bank refuses, ask for its reasons in writing and make a formal complaint. Our free letter templates can help.
Step 4 of 5
If you are still unhappy, take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free.
Step 5 of 5
Report fraud to the police through Report Fraud.
(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.
If you were tricked into making a payment yourself, that is a different rule: see our guide on banks refusing to refund a scam.
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
- fca.org.uk/consumers/fraudulent-payments Checked 12 October 2026
- psr.org.uk/information-for-consumers/app-fraud-reimbursement-protections Checked 13 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/getting-your-money-back-if-you-paid-by-card-or-paypal Checked 12 October 2026
- reportfraud.police.uk Checked 12 October 2026