I suppose individual customer service advisors will have the ability to waive the charge, so it might just depend on whether or not they take pity on you.
I’d like to think there is a strategy around it, but it does strike me as though Starling generally thinks less about the vulnerable than Monzo.
Given the terms and how to they have historically been applied, then then it’s safest to assume the negative outcome and work from there.
In Monzo forum style … do you have a source for that?
The current and proposed fees are here.
That contains the details of how the terms have historically been applied that admdly says are mainly negative?
It contains the fees which Starling will charge, most likely without exception (which could be considered negative, if you like).
Many a discussion occurred in the Starling forums before they were closed down, and for the most part Starling’s responses and people’s experiences suggested that they weren’t going to be flexible or accommodating when it comes to applying the terms and fees.
So your answer is no. Thanks.
You do get free replacements if you use Monzo as your main or significant bank
Starling doesn’t even say in the email that there is an exception for fraud
But nor does it say they WILL charge you. All seems a big fuss about nothing?
They do this 
But it’s only if the customer request a replacement. So, in the case of fraud, for example, if the customer doesn’t explicitly request a replacement, I’d say they have no right to make a charge.
Not many stories in press about changes, either way, but did see this in Google while taking a look. This issue rumbles on fairly quietly in the background
Yes, but a) that means its only a minority of Monzo customers who get any free replacements and b) Monzo have made the qualifying criteria relatively complex rather than just having a simple easily understandable rule (imo).
How is it complex?
If you meet the one of the criteria you don’t get charged
If you don’t meet the criteria but are vulnerable, get in touch.
Edit: rereading my post it comes across as confrontational, please don’t take it that way as it is not they way I intended it!
You believed Monzo and Starling will provide their services free of charge forever?! Anyway both still better than legacy banks
What don’t you understand about the current rules?
So unnecessary confusion?
There is a perfectly good (and long thread) about Monzo’s changes so I hesitate to take this one about Starling off-topic.
However, you (and @don_quixote) asked why I consider Monzo’s criteria complex/don’t like them.
So the criteria as they originally stood are:
a) Do you pay in more than £500 and at least 1 direct debit OR
b) Do you get a DWP or MHCLG payment at least once every 35 days OR
c) get a student loan payment every 8 months OR
d) have a joint account with someone who meets any of the above OR
e) have a Plus Account
Since then they also seem to have added PhD stipends (paid quarterly) and stated that 16/17 years are also exempt
So I now make that 7 different potential criteria (so far) not including vulnerable customers who are somehow expected to “know” to contact support when Monzo have deliberately made it harder to contact them in the app (and the telephone line cuts off automatically) and may not want to share details of any vulnerability anyway.
Monzo have also said that if you receive tax credits via HMRC instead of Universial Credit you’re not automatically exempt but need to contact support.
Whatever you think of the new approach - I think complex is a reasonable way to describe it.
Would it not have been simpler and less confusing to say everyone is entitled to one free replacement/year - it has the benefit of simplicity for both staff and customers. It would definitely have made their emails to customers easier to understand/follow (they were poor - at least some versions)
Monzo state that 1% of customers order more than one card each year and make up 35% of total card replacement costs - it would be a lot less controversial if they targeted this group
As I’ve said, my main interest is in the card replacement fee and that those who lose their card once will suffer a fee, but its also worth noting that Monzo is much more stingy than any other bank I know with cash withdrawal limits as well.
Monzo has a 30 day rolling limit which is the same or less than other banks have as a daily limit. (and I think it would be more customer friendly to adopt a monthly limit rather than a rolling 30 day period as well but that’s a different issue)
I’m not sure why you think all of these people seem to have to “know” to contact support.
I believe that Monzo are (should be) perfectly capable of detecting most or all of these criteria from their records. I agree that if a mistake is made, some form of contact will be required but this presentation is spinning it into something it definitely isn’t.
I don’t think they can though I stand to be corrected of course.
The blog does say
If you tell us you’re in difficulty, we can exempt you from or refund these fees.
Edit: And you actively need to contact support if you get tax credits via HMRC
Well, I can’t debate your opinion 
(and we are off topic) but I’d suggest a little evidence may be required to support an accusation that reads to be one of utter bank incompetence unless I’m missing the point.
(I agree that the vulnerable customer element is going to be the tricky one but that will surely be true for every bank.)