Victim failed to answer scam questionnaire truthfully

Categories:

Delays, Other, Fraud & scams,

Summary:

In 2024, Finn lost $65,000 in an online job scam. He authorised payments to cryptocurrency merchants and also withdrew cash from ATMs and at branches that he deposited in a cryptocurrency ATM. When he realised he had been scammed, he asked the bank to reimburse his loss. The bank refused, saying he had authorised the payments. However, it offered him a partial reimbursement of $6,250, as well as $3,000 to recognise the time delay to complete the fraud investigation. Finn rejected the bank's offer and asked us to investigate.

Published:

March 2026

Our investigation

After looking into Finn's interactions with the bank, we could find no evidence that the bank was aware, or ought to have been aware, that Finn was the victim of a scam. Most payments had been made without any interaction with bank staff. He had withdrawn cash at branches where the bank had made him complete a questionnaire designed to elicit information that would reveal if someone was being scammed. Finn had not answered the questionnaire truthfully. We showed Finn copies of the questionnaire he had completed and invited his response. Finn then decided to accept the bank's offer.