Unauthorised Transactions
An unauthorised transaction occurs when money is taken from your account without your knowledge or consent. UK banks have a legal duty to refund you in most cases.
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CARD HOLDER
How it happens
Unlike authorised push payment fraud — where you're tricked into sending money yourself — unauthorised transactions are illegal payments you never approved. Fraudsters use a variety of methods to access your funds.
Your rights
Under the Payment Services Regulations 2017, your bank is legally required to refund any unauthorised transaction unless they can prove you acted fraudulently or with gross negligence. This applies to all UK-regulated banks and payment service providers.
What to do immediately
- 1. Contact your bank immediately to report the transaction
- 2. Request a freeze on your account if needed
- 3. Gather evidence — screenshots, statements, emails
- 4. Contact Refund United to handle your claim professionally
Client Success Story
"I noticed three large payments leave my account overnight that I had never authorised. My bank initially dismissed my complaint and said I must have shared my details. Refund United took on my case and within three weeks we had a full refund. I was amazed — I had given up hope."
Margaret T.
Bristol · Unauthorised transaction victim
Amount recovered
£14,200
How we helped: We identified that the bank had failed to flag multiple high-value overnight transactions as suspicious and had not applied adequate fraud monitoring. The bank settled in full before the case reached the Financial Ombudsman.
