“Safe Account” & Impersonation Scams
Have you been tricked into transferring money?
Fraudsters may pose as a bank, utility company, delivery firm, or HMRC to pressure you into making a payment or transferring funds to a “safe” account, or handing over passwords or confirmation codes. If you’ve been targeted, Complex Law can help you prepare your evidence and pursue recovery.
The Facts
What are “safe account” and impersonation scams?
Impersonation scams involve criminals using official-looking phone numbers, emails, or websites to appear genuine. They claim to have identified a problem, such as unpaid tax, a compromised credit card or suspicious activity on your account. The scammer promises to resolve the issue by asking you to transfer money to a “safe” account, pay a “verification” fee, or provide a security code sent by SMS or phone.
What legal routes are available?
There are several legal routes available to victims of an impersonation scam. These can include Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud redress or civil claims against the perpetrators of the fraud or recipients of the funds. If your bank is at fault for missing signs of fraud, you may be able to raise a complaint and seek reimbursement under the CRM Code or Payment Services Regulation.
Your rights
In many cases, yes, we are able to secure recovery of all or part of the funds transferred. However, speed is of the essence in these types of cases. Scammers generally move fraudulently acquired funds through multiple accounts, so tracing them becomes more difficult over time. The sooner that you seek legal advice, the sooner we can obtain injunctions or disclosures, trace funds and pursue recovery.
Next steps
If you suspect an impersonation scam, stop all contact and do not make any further payments or share any security codes. Get in touch with your bank using the number printed on a bill or statement, and raise an APP fraud alert. Request that they recall payments and, where applicable, freeze cards. Gather any evidence of previous contact with the scammer, and speak to Complex Law to plan the best approach.
How Complex Law can help
We provide rapid, practical support – engaging banks and telecom/platform providers, securing disclosure and asset‑preservation orders, and pursuing targeted claims or complaints to maximise recovery.
Bank liaison and evidence capture
Our specialist fraud team will help you preserve and assemble evidence and can handle communications with your banks, card providers or payment processors on your behalf.
Court orders and asset protection
We have a number of options including freezing injunctions, Norwich Pharmacal/Bankers Trust disclosure orders, proprietary claims and tracing, third‑party debt and interim relief to secure assets.
Complaints and claims against banks
If your bank has failed in its statutory duties under anti-fraud regulations, then we can may be able to bring a claim or complaint against it and seek reimbursement for any financial loss you have suffered.
Payments and cost control
Depending on your case, we may be able to offer fixed‑fee or staged payment options, and we ensure recovery costs are proportionate to the amount at stake. We’ll clearly explain all costs upfront.
Do you have a claim?
If any of the points on our checklist apply to you, or you’re in a similar situation, it may be advisable to seek urgent legal advice.
If that’s the case, speak to Complex Law to discuss your situation in more detail and explore the options available to you.
Claim checklist
You received a call or text that appeared to be from your bank, HMRC, police, or a utility.
You were pressured to move funds quickly or share one‑time passcodes.
Payments were split into several transfers or sent to new payees you didn’t recognise.
Your bank refused or delayed a recall, or rejected your complaint.
You’re still being contacted for additional “release” or “verification” fees.
Legal services tailored to your needs
Our practice is focused on three areas of law: Consumer Claims, Individuals, and Businesses (Complex 360), making it easy to match your legal issue with the right team and strategy.
Consumer Claims
If you’ve been missold a loan or targeted by fraudsters or scammers, you don’t have to face the fallout alone. We’ll represent you on a no-win, no-fee basis.
What Others Say
Hear from our past clients
We’re proud of our success rate. Over the last four decades, we’ve helped thousands of clients secure the judgments, compensation, settlements, or resolutions they were seeking.
Excellent rating
Paul W
Ridiculously easy to check and apply. All the searching is done for you in literally one minute. A soft credit check is required but doesn't impact your score. Go and claim what’s rightly owed!
Kathleen H
This is the first time I have contacted Complex Law. It was easy and I got a quick response. I was shocked how many finance companies they found within half an hour. There was no way I would have remembered these companies.
Sidali S
Really pleased with how easy it was to fill out the complaint form. The layout was clear, and the steps were simple to follow, which made the whole process quick and stress-free. It’s great to see such an efficient and user-friendly system in place.
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t find the answer to your question here, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help.
Safe account scams use sophisticated techniques to make themselves appear like genuine representatives of your bank or a company you do business with. This can include faking email “from” addresses or incoming phone numbers, inserting fake SMS messages into real threads, and copying the same branding and templates that the company they are impersonating uses for genuine emails or letters.
If you’re unsure about an email, call, or message, stop the conversation and explain that you will call or email back via a verified number or address. If the suspected scammer tries to convince you to continue dealing with them, this is a warning sign of fraud. Genuine businesses will understand your concern and encourage you to get back in touch on an official channel. If in doubt, always initiate contact using an email address or number printed on a physical bill or statement you have received.
Possibly – it depends on whether the bank acted appropriately to protect your interests and identify fraud when processing the payment(s). Most high street banks in the UK adhere to the CRM Code for APP fraud – reimbursement will depend on both the bank’s and your actions against the Code and regulatory expectations. We can prepare detailed complaints and, if we don’t obtain a satisfactory resolution from the bank, escalate your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Contact your bank immediately to report the date and time the code was issued, and ask them to freeze your accounts and cards until your account can be secured. You will likely be asked to change any login credentials, such as passwords or security questions. If you suffer a financial loss and choose to work with Complex Law, we will document the circumstances and may be able to argue that systemic “red flags” should have triggered intervention.
Yes, victims of impersonation or safe account scams are often at greater risk of follow-up attempts, either by the original scammer or by another criminal who has purchased your data on the black market. Complex Law can advise you on credit file protection, CIFAS protective registration, and communications hygiene in order to reduce the risk of further fraud.
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