Not upheld: CIFAS fraud marker lodgement; alleged improper fraud reporting complaint against Monzo Bank Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr B complained that Monzo Bank Limited improperly lodged a fraud-related marker on the CIFAS database after blocking his account in August 2025. A £1,300 payment had been received as part of a sponsorship visa purchase scam, which Mr B claimed was repayment of a debt. However, the ombudsman found that Mr B's own evidence revealed he had a pre-existing relationship with the scammer and had previously been involved in fraudulent activity with this individual. The ombudsman concluded that Mr B knowingly received and used the fraudulent funds, and therefore Monzo acted properly in lodging the CIFAS marker in accordance with regulatory requirements. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied CIFAS marker requirements: there must be reasonable grounds to believe an identified fraud was committed and the evidence must be clear, relevant and rigorous. The ombudsman found that Mr B's own admissions showed he had a pre-existing relationship with a known scammer and had previously been involved in fraudulent activity with this individual (transferring money from someone else's account and filing complaints). The ombudsman concluded that Mr B's claim of receiving repayment of a debt was implausible given his prior knowledge of the third party's fraudulent practices, and that Mr B knowingly received and used the fraudulent funds.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website