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How to Get Your Money Back After a Scam

A complete UK financial recovery guide with step-by-step instructions, time limits, and template letters.

Quick Reference — Which Route Should You Take?

Your Situation	Best Route	Time Limit
Paid by debit card	Chargeback	120 days
Paid by credit card (£100-£30,000)	Section 75	6 years
Bank transfer / APP scam (after Oct 2024)	APP Reimbursement	13 months
Any, if bank rejects your claim	Financial Ombudsman	6 months
Identity theft concerns	Cifas Protective Registration	Apply ASAP

💳 1. Chargeback — For Debit & Credit Card Payments

A chargeback lets you reverse a card payment when something goes wrong. It is run by Visa, Mastercard, and Amex — not the bank. 120-day limit from when you noticed the problem.

When to use it: Goods never arrived, faulty, company went bust, unauthorised transaction, charged twice.

How to request:

Call your bank and say: "I want to raise a chargeback under the Visa/Mastercard chargeback scheme." Be ready with the date, amount, and merchant name.

📋 2. Section 75 — Consumer Credit Act (Credit Cards Only)

Section 75 is a legal right under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If you paid between £100 and £30,000 on a credit card, the card provider is jointly liable with the seller. You can claim from the card company even if the seller disappears.

Time limit: 6 years from the transaction (or 6 months from the bank final response).

Key fact:

Even if you only put part of the payment on your credit card (e.g. £50 deposit on a £500 purchase), Section 75 covers the ENTIRE amount.

🏦 3. APP Fraud Reimbursement (Bank Transfers)

From 7 October 2024, UK banks are legally required to reimburse victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud up to £85,000. Your bank must refund you within 5 business days in most cases.

Time limit: 13 months from the date of the payment. There is a £100 excess for non-vulnerable customers.

Important:

If the scam happened before 7 Oct 2024, your bank may still reimburse you under the voluntary Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) Code, or you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman.

⚖ 4. Financial Ombudsman Service — Escalate If Rejected

If your bank rejects your claim, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. They are free, independent, and binding on the bank (but not on you — you can still go to court if you prefer).

Time limit: You must refer within 6 months of the bank final response. The Ombudsman can award up to £455,000 (as of April 2026) and add 8% interest.

Call 0800 023 4567 or visit financial-ombudsman.org.uk

🛡 5. Cifas Protective Registration

If a scammer has your passport, driving licence, or other identity documents, they may try to open accounts in your name. Cifas Protective Registration places a flag on your credit file for 2 years at £25. Any application for credit in your name will trigger extra verification.

Apply at cifas.org.uk — it takes about 15 minutes.

Deadline Cheat Sheet

Action	Deadline	From When?
Chargeback	120 days	When you noticed the problem
Section 75	6 years	Date of transaction
APP fraud reimbursement	13 months	Date of payment
Financial Ombudsman	6 months	Bank final response
Cifas registration	ASAP	After ID theft

Need help?

💚 Get emotional support | Citizens Advice: 0800 144 8848 | Victim Support: 0808 168 9111

This guide is for informational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Last updated: June 2026.