Authorised Push Payment fraud (APP fraud) happens when someone tricks you into sending money to them under false pretences. Fraudsters may contact you by phone, email or social media, pretending to be someone else. These scams can be complex and very convincing. APP fraud payments are requested by bank transfer or other types of online payment, so they can’t be reversed once you realise you’ve been a victim.
Protecting you against APP fraud
How we protect you
We aim to keep you secure without impacting your ability to use your accounts by operating a range of specialist fraud prevention and detection tools and techniques:
- We operate a range of fraud-prevention measures to make sure all new account applications are genuine. We do this to check that those who apply for a Tesco Bank service or product are who they say they are.
- We use a variety of sophisticated tools that monitor account behaviour for signs of potential fraud. These tools significantly reduce the risk of fraud occurring on your account.
- If we suspect unusual activity on your account, we’ll suspend the suspicious transaction and alert you that we believe your account is at risk of fraud. We’ll never send you an alert that requests your account/online security details.
Simple steps you can take to help protect yourself:
- Never automatically take unexpected requests or demands for payment at face value - instead independently verify the payment request at source using contact details independently obtained (don’t use the contact details provided in the payment request).
- Before making any large purchase or investment online or over the phone, independently check out the legitimacy and reputation of the seller.
- Think carefully before making a payment to any account held in a different name to that of the firm or person you believe you are dealing with.
- Don’t automatically assume that a payment request is valid, just because the originator is in possession of your personal or confidential information. These can be harvested from social media sites or sometimes obtained through hacking/data breaches.
What to do if you believe you’re the victim of fraud
Our priority is to prevent fraud from happening in the first place, but when it does occur we’ll support you trying to recover your money with our claims process. If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, call our Fraud and Security Team on 0345 835 3353 straight away. Our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Telling us everything about your situation gives us the best possible chance to recover your money.
Our promise to you:
We’ll work on your behalf to investigate your claim and recover as much of your money as we can. We’ll inform you of the outcome of our investigation within 15 days of the scam being reported.
In the vast majority of cases we’ll refund losses through APP fraud involving payments made using Tesco Bank accounts. However, in exceptional circumstances our investigations may conclude that all or part of an APP fraud related loss will not be refundable, due to:
- Material negligence on the part of the customer, for example:
- Ignoring direct warnings received from either Tesco Bank or another bank in relation to a specific transaction or payee.
- After contacting Tesco Bank with potential APP concerns, the customer continues to make further payments to the suspect payee.
- The payment is not strictly fraudulent, instead it’s found to be subject to a commercial dispute. For example, where someone voluntarily pays for goods or services, but is dissatisfied with what is delivered.
- The customer is knowingly complicit in the fraud.
The UK Finance APP Code
UK Finance are sponsoring the adoption by Banks and other Payment Service Providers of a voluntary code, establishing a consistent industry framework of good practice in relation to the prevention and investigation of APP fraud, and the provision of compensation to its victims.
Tesco Bank is committed to signing up to this code and are taking active steps to ensure we can do this as soon as possible. Customers continue to benefit from Tesco Bank’s strong fraud protections as we work towards full implementation of the code, and any customer who falls victim to an APP fraud will be compensated in line with the provisions of the APP Code.