Not upheld: Cifas marker registration and account closure complaint against Revolut

Decision detail

Summary

Miss A complained that Revolut unfairly closed her account and registered a Cifas marker for misuse of facility after she received fraudulent funds into her account. Miss A claimed she was helping a friend by allowing him to use her account to receive payment. Revolut asked for evidence but was unsatisfied with her explanation and closed the account with immediate effect, then registered a Cifas marker in June 2024. The ombudsman found that although Miss A's story was consistent, she failed to provide crucial evidence such as proof the money was returned to her friend or explanation of why she received it, and therefore concluded she was complicit in the misuse. The ombudsman upheld Revolut's right to register the marker and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied the Cifas standard requiring reasonable grounds to believe fraud occurred and clear evidence of deliberate complicity. While Miss A's story was consistent, she failed to provide crucial evidence: she could not demonstrate the money was returned to her friend, could not explain why she received it, and could not show she was unaware it was fraudulent. The account statements showed funds left immediately, and text message dates did not align with payment dates. The ombudsman concluded Miss A was complicit based on the missing evidence and therefore Revolut was entitled to register the marker.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website