Fraud Victim Support
If you're looking for fraud victim support, this guide explains where you can turn for help, support, and refunds.
Falling victim to fraud can leave you feeling powerless and overwhelmed. Fraud victim support is more important than ever as scams become increasingly sophisticated, catching out even the most vigilant people. In the UK, thousands lose money to financial scams each year, highlighting just how crucial it is to know your rights and where to turn for help.
If you’ve lost money to a scam, you might be able to claim a refund from your bank or payment provider—especially if you acted responsibly during the transaction. Even if your bank has already refused your claim, our fraud recovery specialists could offer guidance on how to challenge the decision and potentially recover your losses.
Keep reading to learn more about fraud victim support and the steps you can take to protect yourself. If you prefer to speak to someone directly, call +1 (206) 609-6016 or contact us online to arrange a call back.
Common Scams and Fraud
Scams target people across the UK through various channels. Fraudsters operate by phone, online, post, or in person.
Investment scams: Where you’re approached to make an investment in a scheme that is too good to be true or stocks simply don’t exist.
Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams: You transfer funds to a criminal posing as a trusted contact or organisation. Examples include fake investment opportunities, fraudsters claiming to be your bank, or false invoices from suppliers.
Online marketplace fraud: You pay for goods or services on digital platforms but never receive what’s promised. Criminals set up convincing seller profiles.
Romance scams: You meet someone on a dating platform. The relationship appears genuine, but the person requests money for urgent needs, medical emergencies, or travel costs.
Impersonation fraud: You’re contacted by someone claiming to represent a government body, police, or service provider. Requests often include payment for fines or sensitive information transfer.
We can review your situation, advise on your refund eligibility, and build a specialist claim—even if your original request’s been refused. Contact us for a free case check and to discuss your recovery options.
How Capital Refund House Can Help
Who Can Help If I'm The Victim of Fraud?
Several organisations and services offer essential support if you’ve lost money to fraud. They guide you through next steps, help to recover funds, and provide emotional and practical assistance. You could access support in the following ways:
Your Bank or Payment Provider
Contact your bank immediately if you’ve been scammed. Rapid reporting increases your chances of recovering funds. Under updated reimbursement rules, banks, or payment processors could refund you, especially if you’ve acted responsibly and contacted them as soon as you realised the fraud.Victim Support Services
Dedicated organisations, such as Victim Support, assist with emotional recovery and offer confidential advice on practical next steps. Their support ranges from restoring your sense of security to explaining your rights and available options.Action Fraud
Reporting a scam or fraud to Action Fraud allows them to monitor scam trends and may trigger further investigation. Some victims receive additional protective advice or safeguarding referrals through these channels.Credit Reference Agencies
After a scam, monitor your credit file and update any compromised details. Credit reference agencies can help you detect unauthorised activity quickly.Specialist Fraud Recovery Teams
Fraud recovery specialists like us can review your case, assess possible refund routes, and help build a claim against your bank or payment processor. Importantly, we offer a free initial assessment to determine if a claim could succeed, even if you’ve already been refused a refund.
Please let us know if you or a loved one has lost money to fraud or a scam. If we can, one of our specialists will build a case on your behalf to try and secure a refund of your losses.
Who Are Action Fraud And What Do They Do?
Action Fraud, the official UK fraud reporting centre records reports from people who’ve experienced scams, online fraud or cyber crime. They collect your details and pass cases with clear evidence to specialist teams, such as the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which analyse scam patterns and alert relevant organisations. Although they track fraud trends and may connect cases to ongoing investigations, they don’t directly investigate every incident or provide updates on individual cases.
When you report fraud to the national centre, you’ll:
Share details about your experience, helping authorities understand the scam’s method, timing and channel (for example, text, phone or social media).
Receive an incident number for reference if other agencies contact you.
Get access to guidance on next steps, including securing your accounts and protecting your information.
Support offered after reporting can include:
Specialist victim care units contacting you for tailored practical advice and confidential emotional support.
Signposting to services that offer additional protection, financial advice or steps to help avoid future scams.
Testing the system’s data allows authorities to detect fraud patterns, warn the public about new scams and provide support to victims, but they don’t secure individual refunds or compensation. You can pursue financial recovery by challenging decisions directly with your provider or asking us to review your situation and present a claim on your behalf.
What Types Of Support Can Fraud Victims Access?
Fraud victims can access various support options for both financial and emotional recovery. Practical steps and guidance come from multiple sources, each offering targeted help depending on your situation.
Financial support options include:
Claim assessments: You can request a free consultation with our specialists, who’ll review your case and explain your possible routes to recover losses.
Refund claims: You may qualify for a refund through your bank or payment processor if you acted with care, tried to verify the transaction, and alerted your bank quickly once you noticed the fraud.
Third-party support: If your claim’s rejected, our team could build a complaint against the responsible provider and handle negotiations on your behalf.
Reporting avenues: You can formally submit complaints for unresolved cases to oversight bodies like the Financial Ombudsman Service, which holds the power to require providers to refund eligible victims.
Emotional and practical support resources:
Victim support services: These offer confidential advice, guidance, and counselling, as well as ongoing support for wider impacts such as distress, anxiety, or loss of confidence.
Specialist care units: You might access additional guidance from economic crime victim units, which give tailored advice to improve safety and help prevent future scams.
Independent advice: Charities and independent groups provide tools, information, and supporter guides to both victims and their families, so you’re not facing recovery alone.
It is important to engage with as many support services as possible. For example, without proper help, you could suffer long-term trust issues, flashbacks, and anxiety even if you secure a refund for any losses.
Can I Get A Refund If I'm A Fraud Victim?
Refund eligibility for fraud victims often depends on the type of scam and the actions taken during the incident. For example, under recent reimbursement regulations, banks and payment providers sometimes issue refunds if you lost money to Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud or similar scams.
You could claim a refund if the following criteria apply:
You transferred funds to a scammer during a convincing fraud, for example, an urgent investment offer, romance scam, or delivery text scam.
As things progressed, you took sensible steps to ensure the transaction seemed genuine, such as checking contact details or questioning unusual requests.
Your bank didn’t do enough to warn you about possible fraud or failed to protect your account effectively.
You notified your bank immediately after realising you’d been deceived.
Unfortunately, as banks assess claims on a case-by-case basis, it is possible that your claim could be refused. If that happens, we may still be able to help.
What Can I Do If My Refund Is Refused?
If your bank or payment provider denies your refund after a scam, several further options exist to challenge the decision and pursue recovery of your money.
Request a written explanation of the refusal. Seeing the reasons in writing clarifies any errors and supports your next steps.
Take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). FOS reviews disputed claims and can instruct providers to refund you if mistakes or inadequate protection are identified.
Contact us to assess your situation and see if a specialist can help build a case and present it to the provider. Even if your claim was rejected, we may be able to help challenge the outcome on your behalf.
Remember, our fraud victim support specialists could help to get your money back even after your bank has refused to support you.
Contact Our Team
If you’ve fallen victim to fraud and feel overwhelmed by the process of recovery you’re not alone. Getting the right support can make a significant difference to your financial and emotional wellbeing.
If you’d like to find out if we can help you claim your money back after a scam or fraud, please connect with us via live chat or by calling +1 (206) 609-6016 today.
Reach out to our team for a free case review and tailored advice on your next steps. We’ll help you understand your options challenge decisions and connect you with the right resources to maximise your chances of a successful outcome.
Extra Links and Resources
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – Offers advice on dealing with cybercrime, including phishing and online fraud.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ScamSmart – Check investment offers and reports of financial scams, plus resources for fraud victims.
The Pensions Regulator – Pension Scams – Helps protect your pension savings and offers advice for scam victims.
Crimestoppers – Information on fraud and how to prevent it.
Age UK – Scams and Fraud – Support and advice specifically for older people who may have been scammed.
BT/Openreach scam calls: Learn how scammers impersonate BT or Openreach to trick people into sharing personal or financial information over the phone.
PCN (Penalty Charge Notice) text scams: Discover how fraudsters send fake Penalty Charge Notice texts in attempts to steal bank details from unsuspecting victims.
Vishing scams: Understand the dangers of vishing scams, where criminals use phone calls to convince victims to hand over confidential information.