Regrettably, we cannot assist if you transferred
your money to the scam before July 2019.
Barclays Bank transfer and Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams
Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, or bank transfer fraud, is a form of cybercrime where fraudsters deceive individuals into transferring money directly from their Barclays or other bank account by gaining their trust through impersonation, manipulation or developing a false ‘relationship’ with the victim.
As the victim authorises the transaction directly with the bank, believing it to be legitimate, it is referred to as an ‘authorised push payment’ scam.
The various types of APP scams include:
- Cryptocurrency scams – fraudsters promise financial ‘quick wins’ to persuade would-be investors to transfer money to build cryptocurrency portfolios.
- Romance scams – where social media and dating app fraudsters pose as potential suitors to gain the victim’s trust and convince them to send money over a prolonged period of time.
- Impersonation scams – where the scammer claims to be calling from a trusted organisation or company, such as the victim’s bank or building society, or uses number spoofing to impersonate a family member or friend.
- Investment scams – scammers target potential investors with bogus schemes by exploiting their desire to earn more money for their future or to grow their pension pot.
A common characteristic of all types of APP scams is that once the money has been transferred to the criminal’s bank account, it is usually moved on again, often abroad, making it nearly impossible to recover. However, if your bank fails to protect you from the scam adequately, you can take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for an impartial investigation.
The FOS is a Government-backed, independent body responsible for resolving disputes between financial institutions, like banks, and their customers.