Impersonation Scams
Criminals pose as your bank, HMRC, the police, or other trusted organisations to trick you into transferring money or revealing your personal details.
Incoming Call
Barclays Bank
0800 123 4567
"We've detected suspicious activity on your account. You must transfer your funds to a safe account immediately."
Who they impersonate
Your Bank
Claiming fraud on your account and asking you to move money to a "safe" account.
The Police
Telling you your cash is at risk and you need to hand it over for safekeeping.
HMRC
Threatening legal action over unpaid taxes unless you pay immediately.
Tech Support
Claiming your computer or account has been compromised.
Warning signs
- Unexpected contact asking you to act urgently
- They ask you to keep the call or transfer secret
- They tell you to move money to a "safe" account
- Caller ID matches your bank (spoof calls)
- They already know some of your personal details
Your rights
Banks must now reimburse victims of impersonation scams under the mandatory APP reimbursement framework, which came into force in October 2024.
Client Success Story
"I received a call that showed up as my bank's official number. They told me my account had been compromised and I needed to move my savings to a 'safe account' immediately. I did exactly what they said. My bank initially refused to refund me, saying I had authorised the transfer. Refund United proved otherwise."
Patricia M.
London · Bank impersonation victim
Amount recovered
£31,000
How we helped: We showed that the bank's fraud team had failed to conduct adequate account monitoring and that a safe account scam of this nature should have triggered an outbound call from the bank's genuine fraud department. The FOS upheld the case and the bank reimbursed £31,000 in full.
