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uk Money & financial emergencies unrecognised pending payment • unknown transfer pending • unauthorised bank transfer • suspicious card payment pending • card authorisation you didn’t make • pending charge you don’t recognise • new payee you didn’t add • unexpected standing order setup • unknown direct debit pending • card details compromised • banking app suspicious activity • mobile wallet fraud • scammer pretending to be bank • “safe account” transfer request • faster payments fraud • chaps payment you didn’t authorise • payment reversal request • dispute a transaction with bank

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

Short answer

Contact your bank immediately using a trusted route (your banking app, the number on your card, or by dialling 159 if your bank is on it) and ask them to stop the pending payment and secure your account.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t assume “pending” means it will definitely disappear — treat it as urgent until your bank confirms what it is.
  • Don’t call back numbers from a text/email about the payment, and don’t continue any unexpected call “from your bank”.
  • Don’t approve any in-app prompts, one-time passcodes, or “verification” requests you didn’t start.
  • Don’t move money to a “safe account” because someone told you to — banks and police don’t ask you to do that.
  • Don’t close your account or delete messages/screenshots yet; you may need a clear record for the bank’s fraud team.

What to do now

  1. Open the pending item and capture the key details. Note (or screenshot) the amount, date/time, merchant/beneficiary name, any reference, and whether it says card payment, bank transfer, Direct Debit, or standing order.
  2. Secure your access in the banking app (if you can).
    • Freeze/lock the card (or “temporarily block” it).
    • Remove any unknown device sessions, and turn off “new payee / transfer” features if your bank offers a quick toggle.
  3. Contact your bank immediately via a trusted route.
    • Use your banking app’s “report fraud”/chat/call, or call the number on the back of your card.
    • If you’re currently on (or just received) a suspicious call, hang up and dial 159 (if your bank participates) to be routed securely to your bank.
  4. Use the exact wording: “This is an unauthorised transaction and it is still pending.” Ask the bank to:
    • Stop/cancel the payment if possible (or block settlement if it’s a card authorisation).
    • Recall/trace the payment if it’s a bank transfer and it has already started moving.
    • Cancel the card and reissue if there’s any chance card details are compromised.
  5. If it’s a Direct Debit you don’t recognise: tell the bank to cancel the Direct Debit instruction and ask for a full and immediate refund under the Direct Debit Guarantee (your bank can usually action this once the collection is confirmed as incorrect/unauthorised).
  6. If it looks like someone set up a new payee, standing order, or “saved beneficiary”: ask the bank to remove it and add extra security on your account (for example, extra checks for new payees).
  7. Change the right passwords (in the right order).
    • First: your email account password (because it can be used to reset banking access).
    • Then: your banking password/passcode.
    • Enable/refresh strong sign-in (biometrics, 2-step verification) where offered.
  8. Report it once your bank has secured the account (optional but useful).
    • England, Wales, Northern Ireland: report via Report Fraud (online or by phone).
    • Scotland: report to Police Scotland by calling 101.
  9. If your bank won’t resolve it or you feel you’re being “stalled”:
    • Start the bank’s formal complaints process and keep a single timeline (dates, names, reference numbers).
    • If you get a final response you disagree with (or they don’t respond within the usual timeframe), you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

What can wait

  • You don’t need to decide right now whether it was “fraud” vs “merchant error” — your bank can tell you what type of transaction it is.
  • You don’t need to contact the merchant/payee first; contact your bank first while it’s pending.
  • You don’t need to replace your phone/laptop immediately unless the bank specifically advises it; focus first on freezing access and changing key passwords.
  • You don’t need to write a long explanation tonight — a simple, accurate timeline is enough.

Important reassurance

Seeing a “pending” payment you don’t recognise is frightening, but it can sometimes be a pre-authorisation that hasn’t fully completed. Acting quickly and calmly — freezing access and getting your bank’s fraud team involved — is the right move and often prevents the payment from settling.

Scope note

This is first steps only for the first minutes/hours. Next steps (like reimbursement decisions and longer investigations) depend on the transaction type and your bank’s process.

Important note

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Bank processes and your rights can vary by payment type and circumstances. If you’re unsure, treat it as urgent and follow your bank’s fraud reporting instructions.

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