Not upheld: Fraud reimbursement (APP scams) complaint against Revolut Ltd

Decision detail

Summary

Mr B, vulnerable after a separation, met a scammer on a dating site who posed as a romantic interest and introduced him to a fraudulent e-commerce investment opportunity. Over six months, Mr B made seven international payments totalling £336,636.99 via Revolut. Although Revolut intervened on several payments, Mr B did not disclose the true purpose and sought guidance from the scammer on how to respond to Revolut's warnings. The ombudsman found that while Revolut should have intervened on some payments, Mr B was so deeply invested in the relationship that further interventions would not have prevented the losses, and therefore did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

Although Mr B authorised all payments and is presumed liable in the first instance, Revolut should have intervened on some payments as good practice. However, the ombudsman found that further interventions would not have made a material difference because Mr B was so deeply invested in his relationship with L that he would have continued regardless. Mr B had made major life decisions based on the relationship, had reservations but still trusted L, and actively sought guidance on how to respond to Revolut's warnings. The losses were caused by the scammer, not Revolut's failings.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website