Does Monzo UK offer APP scam protection. Most Banks have signed up to this including Monzo’s rival Starling Bank. I’ve heard good things about Monzo, but if they don’t offer APP scam protection, then surely Starling Bank is the no brainier win for the time being?
So, back to the question, does Monzo offer APP scam protection?
Thanks to whoever replies. Hope one of the Monzo team can verify.
What do you mean? Have you got a link
By the way, Monzo have a great page explaining what APP scam protection is:
But they don’t say whether they protect you. They only say what you can do to protect yourself. But I feel they have a duty too.
Last I heard, Monzo aren’t yet signed up to The Code, but do “follow it in practice”.
Will see if I can find a source on that.
Monzo are not signed up to the Authorised push payments voluntary code
Monzo say they follow it “in spirit” and claimed last year they would sign up but there is no evidence they plan to do so any time soon.
Some of the posts on these forums/the press also raise questions about how good they are at following the “spirit” of the code
Thank you Ben. I thought they were intending on signing up to it ages ago… bit worrying. Why the delay. Unfortunately, saying “they follow it in practice”, doesn’t provide me with the reassurance I need as a customer. I need them to sign on the dotted line - because that is ultimately what matters in court. Again, thanks for replying so quickly.
Why do they need to sign up to anything? Am I missing something?
“Don’t send money to people you don’t know”
Done.
Hasn’t the work Monzo have done about payee support helping towards this?
I don’t understand why this is such a big deal.
Thanks Revels. I suppose for me it is a very big deal if someone of high authority (financial ombudsman) has created “The APP scam protection” code to protect us and says that all banks should adhere to too - and many of the big players are signing the dotted line. I could reverse it and say, if it is not such a big deal, why don’t Monzo just signed up to it? Protecting clients’ monies is EVERYONES responsibility, not just clients, not just banks, but both. That’s where APP scam protection comes in. To assure you that the bank will do their bit whilst you do yours.
You’re just repeating yourself. What does it do?
If you pay someone who is claiming to sell you magic beans, won’t all banks try and recover your money?
Also, for me, I wanted to sign up to Monzo as I heard so many good things about it. But I’ve also heard good things about Starling. Both are similar - both are banks which are challenging the traditional. Yet Starling has firmly signed up to APP scam protection. And that makes me want to go with them although I really wanted to go with Monzo.
Here’s how Which frame it:
If your bank is signed up to the voluntary Authorised Push Payment Scam Code which launched on 28 May 2019 it has to take a number of steps to protect their customers and reimburse customers who aren’t to blame.
This is why it’s important - the code prompts banks to take measures to protect customers, and means the banks will take some of the financial liability.
Obviously that’s good for consumers who are tricked, but also has the weight of industry looking for a solution, rather than just banks saying “you did the thing no dice”.
They all may try. But if they fail, the APP scam protection hopefully means there is more of a chance they will reimburse you. That’s what I understand - provided of course you haven’t been a total numpty. 
When in any of these scenarios is the customer not to blame?
I realise that is a bit harsh and sometimes these scams are very sophisticated and does seem genuine, but if you willingly circumvent the security measures (give our pins/forward emails etc) then this will do nothing anyway.
This is barely worth the paper it’s written on.
I think I read somewhere that they were meant to sign it back in July 2019.
Worrying that they have still not managed to do it.
What is there to think about if most other banks are signing?
I’m sure I read somewhere that the reason Monzo didn’t want to sign up to the Code initially was because they would have had to contribute to “the fund” a proportionate value, but Monzo’s fraud protection meant they already have a better record at fraud prevention than a number of the high street banks in this area and so would have to contribute more than they should. Or something.
I could just be misremembering, but this sounds right to me. I just can’t seem to track down a post with that in it, so take with a pinch of salt.
As BritishLibrary says…
the banks have a duty to protect us too. For instance, they should be monitoring 24/7 to look for unusual spends and transfers… So they are culpable too. The APP scam protection thing is asking banks to up their protection measures. Revels - surely you can see that ain’t a bad thing. We are all human and we all have inherited the fundamental flaws of human nature, It’s easy to sit on the high horse when it has happened to others and prematurely judge them. I pray it never happens to you. And I feel for the people it has.
If I remember Monzo wanted proper confirmation of payee first as they didn’t think the code on its own was any protection
Very interesting. I too read their fraud rate was lower compared to other banks. That helps understand things. Wish they would put out a press statement saying this though.
I don’t know if those examples are covered under the APP code or not - but reading around suggests the protection applies if the users follow steps that are expected of them under the code - which I imagine covers things like Sharing pins etc.
And also expects the bank to support - ie the payee confirmation bit and beyond.
So cases like “I got a call from British Gas telling them I was overdue and they gave me bank details to send money to” - the kinds of scenarios intended to be covered.
Cases like I gave someone my login / PIN, not so sure. In practice some banks are possibly going beyond the scope of the code to prevent bad PR.