Direct debit fraud (also called mandate fraud) is when your direct debit mandate is changed to stop paying a genuine organisation and to pay a fraudster instead.

How direct debit fraud happens

There are two typical ways that direct debit fraud happens.

One is when a fraudster hacks into your account and changes your direct debit to pay their account, not the legitimate one.

Another is when a fraudster pretends to be from an organisation you pay regularly, such as a business supplier or subscription service. They then ask you to change your direct debit so it pays their account, not the legitimate one.

Fraudsters can also sometimes contact your workplace and pretend to be you, asking to change the bank account your wages get sent to.

If you want to tell us about direct debit fraud, you can report it online, by phone, or in person.

Report it using our online form

Learn about other ways you can report a crime to us

If you suspect direct debit fraud or it has already happened, you can:

• tell your bank so they can protect your account
• tell the company the direct debit was meant to go to and ask for copies of any credit reports
• report it to the National Anti Fraud Network (NAFN)

To try and prevent direct debit fraud, you can:

• review your bank statements regularly and report anything suspicious to your bank
• use strong passwords with two-factor authentication
• check any requests to change bank details with the organisation requesting it
• avoid contacting anyone through the details the on the request because they can be fake
• ask the organisation to send the request again with details of both the old and new bank details (so you know it’s legitimate)
• search the new details online to see if it looks right
• report scams to the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) who will warn others