If you have just realised you gave a scammer your bank details, breathe. I have spoken to plenty of people in exactly this spot, and the first hour matters more than anything else. Most of what you can do is a phone call and a few quick checks. Here is what I would do, in order.
It does not matter if you read out a card number, typed your details into a fake page or sent money to a "safe account". The steps below are the same. Do them now, then come back and read the rest.
Gave a scammer my bank details: ring your bank first
Call your bank before you do anything else. Not later today. Now. The quicker they know, the quicker they can stop payments and freeze or replace your card.
Use the number on the back of your card
Do not ring a number from a text, an email or a caller. Use the number on the back of your card or the one on your bank's official website. Which? gives the same advice in its guide on what to do if you have given a fraudster your bank details.
Try 159 if you are not sure
If you cannot find your card, dial 159 from your phone. It is the Stop Scams UK number that puts you through to your bank. Their page says it reaches customers of more than 99% of UK retail bank current accounts and that it cannot be spoofed. You can see which banks are on it at Stop Scams UK.
Still on the phone with the scammer? Hang up first. Then ring your bank. Use a different phone if you can.
What to tell your bank when you call
Keep it plain and give them the facts. They deal with this every day, and nobody will think you are daft. People of every age and job get caught, me included on a bad day.
Tell them what you gave away (card number, online banking login, a one-time code), how the scammer contacted you, and roughly when. If you sent money, give the account number and sort code it went to. Ask them to block or replace your card, stop any payments still pending, and put a watch on the account.
If you are going through a hard time, such as bereavement, illness or money worries, say so. Banks have to treat vulnerable customers fairly, and it can change how they handle your claim.
Lock down the rest of your accounts
Scammers rarely stop at one door. If they have your bank details, they may already have your email address, phone number and maybe a password too.
Change the passwords that matter most
Start with your email, then your online banking, then anything that uses the same password. The NCSC says to change the password on any account that shares the one you gave out, and to use a passkey where one is offered. They set it out on their page about what to do if you have responded to a scam.
If remembering new passwords is the hard part, a password manager does the job for you. I explain how I build a good one in my guide on how to build a password worth trusting. If you want to try one, NordPass is the one on my Toolkit page. Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Then turn on two-factor authentication wherever it is offered. My post on why two-factor authentication is so important shows why it stops a stolen password being enough.
Check your email and phone for anything odd
Look for messages sent from your account that you did not write, password reset emails you did not ask for, and new email forwarding rules. If you clicked a link or installed anything, run a full scan with your antivirus, as the NCSC suggests. If your phone suddenly loses signal, ring your mobile provider straight away from another phone.
Can you get your money back after giving a scammer your bank details?
Sometimes, yes. It depends on how the money left your account. Ask your bank which rules apply to your case, because they decide it, not me.
Payments you sent yourself
If you were tricked into sending a bank transfer, the rules for authorised push payment fraud may apply. Which? says they cover transfers between UK Faster Payments providers, and not international transfers or debit, credit or crypto payments. According to Money to the Masses, the limit is £85,000, banks should reimburse within five business days of a claim (they can stop the clock to investigate), and you have 13 months from the payment to claim. Rules like these can change, so ask your bank for the current position.
Card payments and money taken without your say
Card payments and unauthorised payments sit outside that transfer scheme, so tell your bank exactly what happened and ask how they will deal with it. If you are not happy with the answer, use your bank's complaints process. If that goes nowhere, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which Which? says is free to use.
Report it so it counts
Once your bank is dealing with it, report the crime. Report Fraud is the service that replaced Action Fraud. It is the UK's reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime for people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and you can report online at reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, the service says to report through 101.
Got a scam text? Forward it to 7726 so your mobile network can look into it. My guide on how to tell if a text is a scam walks through it. I also keep a full list of who to tell in my post on where to report a scam in the UK.
Watch your credit file after giving a scammer your bank details
If you also gave out your date of birth, address or ID details, someone could try to open credit in your name. Treat it as a possibility and check.
Spot the signs of identity fraud
Look at your credit report with Equifax and Experian. Get Safe Online lists the warning signs: accounts you do not recognise, balances far higher than you expected, and more credit searches than usual. Basic reports can be checked for free, but be careful of any firm that tries to sign you up to a paid trial.
If you think your identity has been used, you can apply to Cifas for Protective Registration. It stays on your Cifas report for two years, and there is a fee.
Expect the scammers to come back
Once your details are out there, more calls and texts often follow, sometimes pretending to be "fraud teams" or "recovery services" who offer to get your money back for a fee. Do not pay anyone who contacts you out of the blue about it. Your bank, Report Fraud and the Financial Ombudsman Service do not charge you to help.
How to stop it happening again
A genuine bank will not pressure you to move money to a "safe account". If a caller does, hang up and ring 159. If a message gives you a link, go to the bank's app or website yourself. I have more on this in what to do the moment you suspect a scam.
Grab my free online safety checklist and stick it somewhere you will see it. If you want the full picture, my book Spot the Scam covers the tricks scammers use. Plenty of the people I help have been through this, and it does not make you gullible. Scammers do this for a living.
Keep reading
This guide is part of Kells Security Solutions, where I explain online safety in plain English. Next, have a look at two related guides: the difference between phishing and other scams and AI voice clone scams. If something has already gone wrong, here is the guide to where to report a scam.
