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uk Money & financial emergencies

What to do if…
you notice a pending payment or transfer that you did not authorise

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Contact your bank immediately using a trusted route, such as your banking app, the number on your card or statement, or 159 if your bank is covered, and say the payment is unauthorised and still pending.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t assume “pending” means it will disappear; treat it as urgent until your bank confirms what it is.
  • Don’t call numbers from a text, email, pop-up, or unexpected call about the payment.
  • Don’t approve in-app prompts, one-time passcodes, card reader codes, or “verification” requests you did not start.
  • Don’t move money to a “safe account”; banks and police do not ask you to do this.
  • Don’t delete messages, screenshots, app alerts, or transaction details yet.
  • Don’t contact the merchant or payee before your bank if the payment may still be stopped or secured.

What to do now

  1. Get to a trusted contact route. End any unexpected call about the payment. Open your bank’s app yourself, use the number on your card or statement, or dial 159 if your bank is covered.
  2. Tell the bank the key words early. Say: “I can see a pending payment or transfer that I did not authorise.” Ask the bank to secure the account while you are on the call or chat.
  3. Freeze what you can safely freeze. If your app lets you do it, freeze or lock the card linked to the payment. Do not approve any prompt that appears unexpectedly while you are doing this.
  4. Capture the transaction details. Note or screenshot the amount, date and time, merchant or beneficiary name, reference, and whether it appears as a card payment, bank transfer, Direct Debit, standing order, mobile wallet payment, or new payee.
  5. Ask the bank what can still be stopped. Ask whether the payment can be stopped, cancelled, blocked, traced, recalled, disputed, or monitored before it settles. If it is a bank transfer, ask the bank to attempt recovery immediately.
  6. Ask the bank to remove or block suspicious access. Ask them to check for new payees, standing orders, Direct Debits, saved beneficiaries, unknown devices, card tokens, and mobile wallet links, and remove anything you do not recognise.
  7. If it is a Direct Debit, ask for the Direct Debit route. Ask the bank to cancel the Direct Debit instruction. If money has already been taken in error, ask for a full and immediate refund under the Direct Debit Guarantee.
  8. Change passwords from a trusted device. Change your email password first, then your banking password or passcode. Use strong sign-in options offered by the bank, such as biometrics or two-step verification.
  9. Record what the bank says. Keep the time, date, staff name or chat reference, fraud case number, and any promise to stop, refund, trace, or investigate the payment.
  10. Report the fraud after the bank has secured the account. If you are in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you can report it to Report Fraud. If you are in Scotland, Report Fraud directs you to report via 101; Police Scotland also has scams and frauds advice and non-emergency reporting routes.
  11. If the bank refuses to help or you disagree with the outcome, complain in writing. Use the bank’s formal complaints process. If you receive a final response you disagree with, or the bank has not given a final response within 8 weeks for most complaints, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether it is fraud, a merchant error, a card hold, or a banking error.
  • You do not need to write a long statement before speaking to the bank.
  • You do not need to replace your phone or laptop immediately unless the bank or a trusted security professional advises it.
  • You do not need to argue with the merchant or payee while the bank is still checking whether the payment can be stopped.
  • You do not need to decide today whether to close the whole account.

Important reassurance

A pending payment you do not recognise is alarming, but acting quickly is the right first move. Freezing access, using a trusted contact route, and getting the bank’s fraud team involved gives the bank the best chance to limit further harm and explain what type of transaction it is.

Scope note

These are first steps only for the first minutes and hours. Later decisions about refunds, complaints, recovery, account changes, or legal options may need specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, fraud investigation, cybersecurity, or professional advice. Bank processes, refund rules, and complaint routes can vary by payment type and circumstances.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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