Not upheld: APP scam refund claim and customer service handling complaint against Revolut Ltd

Decision detail

Summary

Ms S complained that Revolut failed to refund £52 she lost in an alleged APP scam when purchasing medication from a third party in August 2025, despite having successfully made approximately 12 purchases from the same party over two years. Ms S also complained about poor customer service during Revolut's scam investigation, where she was asked the same questions multiple times. The ombudsman found the Faster Payment Scheme and CHAPS Reimbursement Rules likely did not apply because the beneficiary account was overseas and the long-standing relationship suggested this may not be a typical scam. Even if the rules applied, Ms S's loss was below the £100 excess threshold. The ombudsman acknowledged Revolut's customer service mistakes but found them insufficiently severe to warrant compensation, and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that under the Payment Services Regulations, Ms S is responsible for authorised payments despite the alleged scam. The Faster Payment Scheme and CHAPS Reimbursement Rules were unlikely to apply because: (1) the long-standing relationship with the beneficiary suggests this may not be a scam, and (2) the beneficiary account was overseas, not UK-based. Even if the Reimbursement Rules applied, Ms S's loss of £52 is below the £100 excess that can be deducted, and she was not deemed vulnerable. The ombudsman found Revolut's customer service mistakes were not severe enough to warrant compensation.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website