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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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 or 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, report it to your bank and the police as soon as possible. At CEL Solicitors, we specialise in helping people recover money lost to impersonation scams. If your bank refuses to help recover your money — we’re here to help. We’ve already helped thousands of people across the UK recover money lost to impersonation fraud, and we’ll do everything we can to support you with care, compassion, and expertise. Speak to our friendly team today. You’re not alone — and you may have a case.
Speak to our friendly team today. You are not alone, and you may have a case.
At CEL Solicitors, we have a dedicated team of financial recovery experts who specialise in helping clients recover money lost to scammers.
We carefully review all the financial transactions related to your case. If we find that a financial institution could have done more to protect you from fraud, we will make a formal complaint on your behalf and seek compensation.
If the scammer can be identified and has assets, we can also take legal action against them to recover your money.
While every case is different and recovery is not always guaranteed, we are relentless in supporting you to get the best possible outcome.
Yes, we can help trace and recover money lost to cryptocurrency scams.
Our experts use specialised software called Chainalysis Reactor to follow the trail of cryptocurrency transactions on the blockchain. This helps us identify where the funds have gone, often to a crypto asset exchange provider, so we can work on recovering them for you.
Yes, you can contact your bank or financial institution directly to try to recover your money. If you’re unhappy with their response, you have the right to make a formal complaint.
However, if you choose to work with us, we bring technical knowledge and legal expertise to give you the best chance of success. We’ll handle the complex steps for you and can represent you if the case needs to go to court.
You’re not alone in this — we’re here to guide and support you every step of the way.
No, we work on a no-win, no-fee basis. If we are unsuccessful in recovering your money then you won’t pay us a penny. We also offer free initial, no-obligation advice so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch with one of our friendly advisors today. We can start working on your case as soon as you formally instruct us, and our paperwork has been signed. Additionally, you have a 14-day cooling-off period, after you’ve signed our initial documents if you change your mind.
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.
We use a variety of approaches to help recover your money, tailored to your specific case.
First, we investigate whether the financial institution involved could have done more to detect or prevent the fraud. If so, we make a formal complaint and seek compensation from them.
If the scammer can be identified and has assets, we can take legal action to recover funds directly from them.
To support this, we work with specialist forensic accountants who trace where the money has gone. We also have a trusted network of law firms around the world to help recover funds hidden offshore or in other countries.
Our team is committed to pursuing every possible avenue to get your money back.
“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.
It’s common to feel responsible if you authorised a payment that turned out to be fraudulent. You might think there’s nothing you can do, especially if your bank has refused to refund you.
But don’t lose hope. We specialise in the financial rules, regulations, codes of conduct, and legal processes that can help challenge those decisions and recover your money.
Our expertise is why our fraud recovery success rate is so high — and why many clients who initially thought they had no options have been able to get their money back.
If you’re worried about fault, just tell CEL. We’ll guide you through your options with care and honesty.
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.
Get in touch now to see how we can help you recover from fraud.