Guides covering bank transfer fraud, advance fee scams, fake invoices, and APP fraud in the UK. Learn how to verify payment requests and protect your money.
Payment scams are the costliest fraud in the UK. Most are authorised push payment (APP) fraud — the scammer doesn't hack your account, they trick you into authorising the payment or sending a bank transfer yourself, often by posing as your bank, a seller, a builder, or even the police. The golden rule: never move money because a call, text or email told you to — verify any payment request through a separate, trusted channel first.
Got a payment request you're unsure about? Paste it into our free AI scam checker for an instant verdict.
Bank transfer and 'safe account' scams are the big one — see bank transfer fraud and push payment fraud. Other frequent tricks include advance-fee scams, overpayment scams, invoice fraud, PayPal 'friends and family' scams, QR-code (quishing) scams and chargeback fraud.
Fake banking-app messages impersonate the apps people trust — Monzo, Revolut, Starling, Wise and Apple Pay — to push you into sending money or sharing codes.
In APP fraud the criminal convinces you to send the money yourself, so it looks authorised:
Report to your bank first — they hold the reimbursement process and can try to stop the payment. Use the free 159 service to reach your bank's fraud team securely. Then report to Action Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101). Forward any scam texts to 7726, and report phishing emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Wedding photographer scams involve fraudsters impersonating real professionals or creating fake portfolios to collect deposits for non-existent services. They typically target engaged couples under time pressure, requesting large upfront payments via bank transfer or digital wallet.
Wedding venue deposit scams target engaged couples by creating fake booking confirmations and invoices that look legitimate. Scammers use stolen venue details and pressure tactics to extract deposits before the couple discovers the deception.
Chargeback scams let a buyer keep the goods and get their money back, leaving the seller out of pocket. Here's how chargeback fraud works and how to protect yourself.
A message or call claims to be Revolut security asking you to move money to a 'safe account'? Stop and check inside the Revolut app.
Got a text, call, or email claiming to be Starling about suspicious activity on your account? How to spot a Starling scam and report it in the UK.
Got an email or text claiming to be from Wise about a payment or account issue? How to spot a Wise impersonation scam and report it in the UK.
Got a call, text, or in-app message claiming 'suspicious activity' on your Monzo account? How to spot a Monzo scam, check safely, and report it in the UK.
A supplier email says their bank details changed? Always verify by phone on a number you already have on file before you pay.
Overpayment scams trick you into sending money back after receiving a payment that appears legitimate but is actually fraudulent. We'll show you how to recognise these scams and what to do if you've been targeted.
Got a call, text, or email about 'suspicious Apple Pay activity' or a locked account? How to spot an Apple Pay scam and report it in the UK.
The PayPal Friends and Family scam tricks UK users into sending money to criminals by posing as sellers, buyers, or trusted contacts. Unlike standard PayPal transactions, Friends and Family payments offer no protection — once sent, the money is nearly impossible to recover.
Advance fee scams are fraudulent schemes where criminals demand payment upfront for something valuable—a loan, inheritance, job, or prize—that doesn't exist. They target UK residents across email, text, phone, and dating apps, and cost victims thousands of pounds annually.
Push payment fraud is when a scammer impersonates your bank, a business, or a trusted contact to convince you to send money directly from your account. Unlike other scams, the victim authorises the payment themselves, making it harder for banks to recover the funds.
A supplier email says their bank details have changed? Verify it by phone on a number you already have — never one from the email itself.
Asked to move money to a 'safe account', or to pay by bank transfer under pressure? How to spot a bank-transfer scam, check safely on 159, and claim it back.
Authorised push payment (APP) fraud is when a scammer tricks you into sending money yourself, by bank transfer, rather than stealing it. They impersonate your bank, a seller, a tradesperson or the police and invent an urgent reason to pay — often telling you to move money to a 'safe account'. Because you authorised the payment, it can be harder to reverse, which is why it's the costliest scam type in the UK.
Often, yes. Since October 2024, UK banks are required to reimburse most victims of APP fraud, usually within five days and up to a set limit, for payments made by Faster Payments. Report it to your bank immediately — speed matters, and reimbursement can depend on the circumstances, so don't delay or assume the money is gone.
159 is a free, secure service — backed by Stop Scams UK and the major banks — that connects you straight to your bank's fraud team, much like 101 for the police. If you get a call, text or email about a payment and you're unsure, hang up and dial 159 to check whether it's genuine before moving any money.
Very likely. The overpayment scam works by 'paying' you too much (often with a fake transfer, cheque or reversed payment) and asking you to refund the difference before the original payment is shown to have failed. Never refund an overpayment until the money has genuinely and irreversibly cleared in your own account, and be wary of any buyer who overpays 'by mistake'.