Not upheld: unauthorised transactions and account closure complaint against Monzo Bank Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr W complained that 40 transactions on his Monzo account between 29 November and 19 December 2025 were unauthorised, claiming his ex-partner made them without his consent while he was in an abusive relationship. Monzo refused to refund the transactions, noting they were made using ApplePay on Mr W's device and that Mr W had breached account terms by sharing his security details. The ombudsman found the transactions were authorised under the Payment Services Regulations 2017, as evidence showed the app was logged in via biometrics before payments and incoming funds were immediately used to make the disputed payments, indicating knowledge of account activity. The ombudsman concluded that either Mr W made the transactions himself or consented to them by sharing his security information, making him liable in either case. The complaint was not upheld, and the ombudsman also found Monzo was within its rights to close the account with proper notice.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied the Payment Services Regulations 2017 to determine that the transactions were authorised. The evidence showed that the Monzo app was logged in via biometrics minutes before disputed payments, suggesting Mr W himself initiated the transactions. Additionally, the pattern of incoming payments immediately funding disputed transactions indicated knowledge of account activity. The ombudsman concluded that either Mr W made the transactions himself or he consented to them by sharing his security details with his ex-partner, both of which would constitute authorisation. By sharing his security information, Mr W breached the account terms and conditions requiring customers to keep their information secure, making him liable for the payments.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website