Quaerens
APP fraud guidance

Did your bank refuse an APP fraud refund?

A refusal does not always end the matter. The decision letter, payment timeline, bank warnings and scam evidence need to be compared carefully before deciding whether the case can be challenged or escalated.

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Quick summary: A clear rejected APP fraud refund file explains what happened before each payment and why the bank decision may be incomplete, unclear or unfair.

Read the refusal letter closely

Look for the bank’s reason for refusing or reducing reimbursement. Useful points include whether the bank relied on warnings, customer conduct, vulnerability, repeated payments, timing or alleged gross negligence.

Rebuild the payment timeline

List every payment, amount, payee, account detail, warning shown and what the scammer said at that stage. This helps compare the bank decision with the actual sequence of events.

Keep evidence of pressure and trust-building

Scam messages, fake websites, investment dashboards, romance messages, impersonation calls and urgent payment requests can explain why the payments appeared genuine at the time.

Useful evidence checklist

  • Bank refusal or final response letter
  • Statements showing the scam payments
  • Online banking warnings, screenshots or notes
  • Messages, emails, adverts, social media profiles and phone logs
  • Action Fraud, police or platform report references
  • Any vulnerability, pressure, health, age or isolation evidence if relevant
Where regulated claims work may be needed, Quaerens will explain this clearly before any next step is taken.

What Quaerens can do

Quaerens can organise the evidence, identify gaps and prepare a clear assessment report. If specialist or regulated support may be required, we explain this clearly before any next step is taken.

Quaerens Consumer Rights Knowledge CentreLast reviewed: 19 August 2026Jurisdiction: United Kingdom

Practical answer and next steps

Short answer: Test the refusal against the payment date, payment rail, bank’s warnings, vulnerability evidence and the reasons given. Do not answer a generic refusal without addressing its findings.

Key evidence

  • Written refusal and policy relied on
  • Payment confirmations and scam communications
  • Evidence of warnings actually shown
  • Vulnerability or exceptional-circumstance evidence where relevant

First steps

  1. Save the original documents and dated screenshots.
  2. Build one chronology of events, payments and replies.
  3. State the specific correction, refund or remedy requested.

If the complaint is rejected or ignored

Request a final response from the bank and answer each refusal reason. The Financial Ombudsman Service can review eligible banking complaints.

Official sources

This is general consumer information, not legal or financial advice. Rights and deadlines depend on the facts, contract, location and current rules.