Egidio
What really happens

After a scam, the fight is just getting started.

"The bank has to pay me back now, there's a law" is the assumption most people carry into 2026 — and it's only half true. Here's what actually happens, official sources included.

Protect my family now

Reimbursement isn't guaranteed the way it sounds

Since 7 October 2024, the Payment Systems Regulator's mandatory reimbursement rules require most UK banks to refund victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud — a genuine legal right most countries still don't have. But the rules come with real limits: a £85,000 cap per claim, a possible £100 excess charged by the sending bank (waived for vulnerable customers), and — the gap that matters most — banks don't always agree a payment even qualifies as APP fraud in the first place.

61%
of APP fraud losses UK banks actually reimbursed in 2025 — £354.3 million out of £576.4 million lost — despite the mandatory reimbursement rules being in force all year.
£85,000 cap maximum reimbursement per Faster Payments or CHAPS APP fraud claim, plus up to £100 excess the sending bank can deduct Payment Systems Regulator, mandatory reimbursement rules (7 Oct 2024)
14% share of fraud incidents actually reported to Action Fraud or the police — most victims never file a report at all ONS, Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending Dec 2025

The paperwork trail, step by step

It's not "one phone call to the bank." Here's what a victim actually has to do, in order:

  1. Contact your bank immediately and freeze cardsthe bank that sent the payment
  2. Report to Action Fraudactionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040
  3. Gather evidence — screenshots, statements, timestampsby yourself
  4. Ask your bank in writing to reimburse you under the mandatory APP fraud rulescite the PSR reimbursement requirement explicitly
  5. Wait for the bank's final responseup to 8 weeks
  6. If refused or unresolved: refer the case to the Financial Ombudsman Servicefree, within 6 months of the bank's final response
  7. Change passwords and compromised accessby yourself
  8. Warn family members who may become secondary targetsby yourself
  9. If still unresolved: consult a solicitor£142-£579/hour, 2026 guideline rates
  10. Monitor accounts for months afterwardrecurring, not one-time

The price of fighting back

Many victims consider hiring a solicitor, especially after a bank refuses to reimburse them. Here's what that actually costs, compared to a year of Egidio protection:

A solicitor in the UK (2026)

Guideline hourly rate, regional£142+
Senior, central Londonup to £579

A year of Egidio

Annual subscription£29.99
Family mode, 4 people£59.99

A single hour with a solicitor costs at least five times what a year of individual protection costs — and most cases take far more than one hour of billable time.

Justice, not guaranteed

Reporting a scam doesn't mean the money comes back, or that anyone is caught. Only around 14% of fraud incidents in England and Wales are even reported to Action Fraud or the police in the first place — fraud is the most under-reported crime the Crime Survey measures, which means official case-outcome figures only ever describe a small, self-selected slice of what's actually happening.

What the numbers don't say

There's a cost that statistics measure poorly: what comes after. A Which? survey of UK fraud victims found that 60% reported a negative impact on their mental health and 71% on their stress levels — both higher than the 50% who cited a negative impact on their financial situation. Shame and self-blame were among the most common reactions, regardless of the amount lost.

That's not a reason for more guilt — it's one more reason detection should happen before, not after. A family member who gets an alert at the right moment avoids both the financial loss and everything that comes with it.

What actually changes the odds: acting before, not after

None of the above is inevitable — it's exactly what Egidio is built to prevent upstream. See the maths between Egidio's price and the average cost of a scam, what Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and the others actually offer before a claim ever happens, or how to protect your parents, often the most exposed.

Nothing happened, just a close call? What a successful vigilance reflex reveals, and why to reinforce it now →

Frequently asked questions

Will my bank automatically reimburse me after a scam?

Not automatically, and not in full. Since 7 October 2024, UK banks must reimburse most authorised push payment fraud under mandatory PSR rules, but it's capped at £85,000, banks can charge up to £100 excess, and in practice only 61% of APP fraud losses were actually reimbursed in 2025.

How long does a complaint to the bank and the Financial Ombudsman take?

Your bank has up to 8 weeks to give a final response. Referring the case to the Financial Ombudsman Service is free — they aim to answer within 90 days and resolve 90% of cases within six months.

How much fraud in the UK actually gets reported or solved?

Only around 14% of fraud incidents are reported to Action Fraud or the police at all, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

How much does a solicitor cost after a scam?

2026 guideline hourly rates range from about £142 to £579 depending on region and seniority, with senior London solicitors at the top of that range.

Does being scammed actually affect mental health?

Yes, measurably. A Which? survey found 60% of UK fraud victims reported a negative impact on their mental health and 71% on their stress levels — both higher than the financial impact alone.