How do I get my money back after I discover an unauthorized transaction or money missing from my bank account? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

FAQs

How do I get my money back after I discover an unauthorized transaction or money missing from my bank account? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? ›

At the latest, you must notify your bank within 60 days after your bank or credit union sends your statement showing the unauthorized transaction. If you wait longer, you could have to pay the full amount of any transactions that occurred after the 60-day period and before you notify your bank.

Banks, therefore, employ comprehensive investigation procedures to combat fraud, protect their customers, and preserve their own credibility.

Customers who notice an unauthorised debit order on their accounts are encouraged to contact their bank immediately to reverse the transaction. This can be done at a branch or through the call centre on 0860 123 000.

You Have A Right To Sue Any Bank That Unlawfully Keeps Your Money, Or Who Fails to Follow Your Instructions For Disbursing It. Banks owe you a duty to only give out funds that you authorize, and to only give out funds in the manner that you instruct them.

Once you notify your bank or credit union about an unauthorized transaction (that is, a charge or withdrawal you didn't make or allow), it generally has ten business days to investigate the issue. The bank or credit union must correct an error within one business day after determining that an error has occurred.

For more details, give a missed call on 14440. If someone has fraudulently withdrawn money from your bank account, inform your bank immediately. When you notify the bank, remember to take acknowledgement from your bank. The bank has to resolve your complaint within 90 days from the date of receipt.

The bank must provide a provisional credit to your account within 10 days, and it has up to 45 days to complete the investigation. If the bank determines that the charge was fraudulent, it must refund your money and remove the charge from your account [*].

If you've transferred money to someone because of a scam

Your bank or building society should reimburse you if it's registered with the Lending Standards Board under their Contingent Reimbursem*nt Model Code (CRM Code).

The bank that issues the credit card will cover most credit card fraud issues, but sometimes the bank rules that it is merchant credit card fraud, making the merchant responsible. Small business owners using outdated swipe payment terminals may have to make up for the difference.

Do banks have to refund unauthorised transactions? ›

In general, when a bank is notified about an unauthorized electronic transfer, it must investigate the situation and report to the account holder in a specific amount of time. If the transaction is unauthorized, the bank must refund all or part of the money depending on how quickly the account holder notified the bank.

If either a consumer or a vendor notices something is wrong with the payment, they can contact the bank to stop the transaction going through. This is typically the payment reversal type which involves the least hassle for both customers and businesses.

Initiate a dispute online or by phone

To dispute a credit card charge with Discover online, log into your account and go to the "Activity and Statement" page under the "Activity" dropdown at the top of the page. From there, select the transaction or transactions you want to dispute and click "Dispute This Charge."

The best bet for getting your money back is to notify your bank of fraudulent charges as soon as possible. But if it's too late and your bank won't refund an unauthorized transaction, you can submit a complaint to government agencies.

File banking and credit complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If contacting your bank directly does not help, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint page to: See which specific banking and credit services and products you can complain about through the CFPB.

Getting my stolen money back

Provided you've done nothing to compromise the security of your account, you should get your money back. But this isn't guaranteed. Refunds can be delayed or refused if the bank has reasonable grounds to think you've been grossly negligent, such as telling someone your PIN or password.

If you've transferred money to someone because of a scam

Your bank or building society should reimburse you if it's registered with the Lending Standards Board under their Contingent Reimbursem*nt Model Code (CRM Code).

If you notice money missing from your account, immediately review your recent transactions for any unauthorized activity. Contact your bank to report any discrepancies or fraudulent transactions.