New scam code - Customer code of conduct
You need to be careful when you make a payment online. Fraudsters can pretend to be someone you trust or offer things like fake goods to try and scam you.
We’ll do as much as we can to protect you and reduce scams while you make genuine payments.
To stay safe online, you should follow the code of conduct below. This code will help to protect you from scams and give you the chance of a fraud refund.
Pay attention to our warnings
Our advanced systems help us to fight fraud. We can use them to warn you about a scam before you make a payment and when you:
- Set up a new payee.
- Amend an existing payee.
If you get a warning, make sure you take suitable action to protect your payment. We may not refund your money if you ignore a warning and fail to act.
Double check your payment
Before you make a payment, you need to double check all the details to make sure:
- you pay the right person or company.
- that any services or goods you want to buy are genuine, and/or
- payments to invest are with a genuine company.
Don't rely on an email, text message or a caller ringing you to give correct payment details. To double check, call back on a number you know is theirs.
By doing this, you’ll help to protect yourself from scams and your right to a refund.
Use internal payment measures
If you run a micro-enterprise or a charity, then you should have measures in place for when you approve a payment. You should use these at all times as they can help you to avoid a scam. If you fail to use them and then fall victim to a scam, we may not refund your money.
Fraud refunds
If you follow the code of conduct, it not only helps you to stay safe from fraud but it gives you the chance of a refund.
We’ll look at all cases of fraud to make sure a payment was made fairly and with care. We can then decide on a refund for any money you may have lost.
We will not give a refund if you do something dishonest or careless that helps a fraud take place.
Confirmation of Payee
Before you make a payment, we'll check that the name you give matches the one on the account.
We'll tell you if they don’t match. You'll then have to choose to pay or to check the details.
If you pay the wrong account and it turns out to be a scam, there’s a good chance you’ll lose your money.
Next topic: Scam calls