If you’ve been tricked into handing over money to someone pretending to be a trusted organisation, you're not alone — and you may be able to get your money back.
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A look at the impact of our work, set against the growing reality of impersonation fraud today.
£193M+ recovered and back in the hands of those who were exploited by fraud.
11,000+ people across the UK have turned to us for support after falling for fraudulent scams.
£92.4 million lost to impersonation scams in 2025.
An impersonation scam is when a fraudster pretends to be someone you trust. They might claim to work for your bank, the police, HMRC, your GP surgery, a delivery company such as Royal Mail or DPD, or even your phone or broadband provider.
These scams usually start with a cold call, text message, or phishing email. For example, you might receive a Royal Mail phishing email or a bank scam text claiming suspicious activity. The scammer may already know your name, phone number or email address – often due to a data breach – which can make their approach seem more convincing.
Depending on the type of scam, their tactics vary. They might:
Once they have your trust, their goal is always the same: to steal your money or personal information.
Scammers are clever, but there are warning signs to watch out for:
If someone calls, emails or messages you out of the blue, especially if they’re pushing you to act fast, be cautious. Legitimate organisations don’t pressure you to make decisions right away. For example, a police impersonation scam or a police scam call often tries to rush you into transferring money.
Scam messages often contain errors or awkward phrasing. A professional organisation is unlikely to send poorly written messages.
No genuine company will ask for your PIN, password or full bank details via email, text or unsolicited call. Watch out for scam texts and calls asking for your security details.
A scammer might ask you to install software so they can “fix a problem”. This allows them to take control of your device and potentially access sensitive information. Never give remote access unless you're certain of who you're dealing with.
Legitimate companies won’t ask you to pay in cryptocurrency. This is a common tactic used by scammers to avoid traceability.
Scammers may claim there’s suspicious activity on your account and tell you to transfer your funds to a “safe account”. This is a lie — the “safe account” belongs to the fraudster. Many victims report receiving scam texts from fraudsters impersonating popular banks like Santander, Barclays, and Revolut.
Fraudsters might say they're from the police, warning you that your bank branch is under investigation and advising you to move your money. These police impersonation scams or police scam calls are common and highly stressful, and it’s very easy to buy into the lie they’re telling. The police will never ask you to transfer money.
One of the most common impersonation scams. Victims are told they owe tax and must send money immediately, or that they’re owed a rebate and need to provide payment details. Never respond without checking with HMRC directly.
You may get a message saying you owe a small fee before a parcel can be delivered. Scammers often impersonate Royal Mail or DPD in these delivery scam texts or Royal Mail phishing emails. Once you pay, they often use the card details to steal hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
Scammers impersonate your internet or phone provider, claiming there’s a technical issue. They may ask for remote access to your device — giving them the chance to steal data or install malicious software and access your banking apps and passwords.
Impersonation scammers use many tactics to make contact. They use a range of seemingly legitimate contact methods, like phone calls, text messages or emails. Scammers who have done their homework on their victims often use personal information, like your name, workplace, or service providers, to gain your trust. These details are often obtained through data breaches or social engineering and can make their messages appear legitimate.
If you’ve been targeted by an impersonation scam, tell your bank straight away and report it to Report Fraud. These scams are designed to panic you into acting fast, so falling for one doesn’t mean you were careless. If your bank won’t refund you, our specialist fraud team may be able to help you claim your money back. Just tell CEL.
Speak to our friendly team today. You are not alone, and you may have a case.
No honest firm can promise that. What we can do is look at what happened and tell you whether we think you have a claim. Our fraud team looks at every payment you made to the scam. If your bank could have done more to protect you, we’ll make a formal complaint to them for you. If they say no, we can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, a free, independent service that settles complaints between customers and financial businesses. You have nothing to lose by enquiring, because we can only take on cases we believe have a good chance of success – and we will always be honest about this.
Yes. You can complain to your bank yourself. If you’re unhappy with their answer, you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Both are free. Our free DIY guide shows you how, step by step. If you’d rather not do it alone, our fraud team can handle it all for you, on a no-win, no-fee basis.
When you’re dealing with a legal issue, whether it’s a scam, a housing dispute, or a case of professional negligence, it’s important to know you’re in safe hands.
We understand that many of our clients come to us after being misled, mistreated, or let down. It’s only natural to feel cautious when choosing a law firm to support you.
CEL Solicitors is a fully regulated law firm. We don’t ask for any upfront payments, and we work on a no-win, no-fee basis wherever possible, meaning you won’t pay us a penny unless your claim is successful.
You can confirm that CEL Solicitors is genuine by checking our credentials:
We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Our SRA number is 633955.
CEL Solicitors is a trading name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (company number: 10370954).
You’ll find us listed on the SRA’s official Solicitors Register – just click the SRA badge at the bottom of this page or visit the SRA website.
We’re also listed on the Law Society’s ‘Find a Solicitor’ tool. This is a free and trusted way to check legal professionals.
If you’re ever unsure, just tell CEL. We’ll help you verify everything for yourself.
“No-win, no-fee” means you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.
There are no upfront costs and no hidden charges. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t owe us a penny. If we win, our fees will be taken from the compensation we recover for you — and we’ll explain all of this clearly before you sign anything.
It’s a simple promise: if you don’t win, you don’t pay.
At CEL Solicitors, we help clients recover money lost to a wide range of Authorised Push Payment (APP) frauds. These scams trick you into authorising payments to fraudsters, often through highly convincing stories or pressure tactics. Common types include:
Investment scams: Promises of high returns through trading, cryptocurrency, or other ‘opportunities’ that turn out to be fake.
Impersonation scams: Fraudsters posing as trusted organisations like banks, the police, HMRC, or utility companies to get you to send money.
Romance scams: Scammers build trust by pretending to be a romantic partner, often overseas, before asking for financial help.
Crypto scams: Fake cryptocurrency investments or exchanges designed to steal your funds.
Advanced fee fraud: Requests for upfront fees to release non-existent loans, prizes, or inheritances.
Purchase scams: Payment for goods or services that never arrive, such as vehicles or electronics.
Invoice scams: Fake or altered invoices sent to businesses or individuals to divert payments.
Job scams: Fraudulent job offers requiring you to pay fees or provide money upfront.
If you’ve been targeted by any of these scams or similar ones, you’re not alone — and we’re here to help you take back control and recover what you’ve lost.
Many people feel this way, especially if they made the payment themselves. But scammers are skilled at lying, and being scammed doesn’t mean you were careless. Even if your bank has refused to refund you, you may still be able to get your money back. Our fraud team knows the rules banks have to follow, and we can challenge their decision for you. If you’re worried about fault, just tell CEL.
Most of our claims are complaints against banks. First, our fraud team looks at every payment you made to the scam and checks whether your bank should have done more to protect you. If so, we make a formal complaint to your bank for you. If your bank says no, we can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, a free, independent service that settles complaints between customers and financial businesses. We’ll keep you updated at every step.
Yes, through our Crypto Investigation Report. This is a separate service from our standard fraud and scam recovery claim. It uses specialist software to show where your crypto went, and the report can be used as evidence to support a police investigation or legal action. A Crypto Investigation Report is not the same as a crypto scam claim. If you lost crypto to a scam, you may also be able to make a claim on a no-win, no-fee basis.
Your claim will be handled by our specialist fraud team. They are experts in bank and Financial Ombudsman Service complaints. They are not solicitors, but they work inside CEL Solicitors, a law firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Qualified solicitors oversee the team’s work, reviewing files regularly and stepping in when a case needs closer attention, including complex crypto cases. Your day-to-day contact will always be a member of our fraud team.
Your loss is the money you paid to the scam, minus anything you got back. Any “profit” or balance shown on a scam website or app is usually not real money, so it isn’t part of your loss. Payments between your own accounts can count too, if they were part of the scam.
Once we have all your evidence, our Bank team makes a formal complaint to your bank. This stage usually takes 8 to 12 weeks. If your bank says no, our Ombudsman team can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This can take anywhere from a few months to around two years. Every case is different, and we’ll keep you updated.
Get in touch now to see how we can help you recover from fraud.