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Monzo Scam UK: Spot a Fake 'Suspicious Activity' Alert

Scammers are impersonating Monzo to steal your money. Here's exactly what to watch for and how to stop them.

· · · 6 min read

Quick answer: A call or message saying your Monzo account is compromised and your money must move to a 'safe account' is a scam — Monzo will never ask you to move money to protect it. Use Monzo's Call Status feature in the app to check any caller, and report the scam through in-app chat.
Key rule: verify through an official route you opened yourself, not the link, number, app, or payment details supplied by the suspicious message.
On this page
  1. What a Monzo scam looks like
  2. Why these scams are convincing
  3. Signs a Monzo message is a scam
  4. How the scam works
  5. How to check a Monzo alert safely
  6. If you responded or shared details
  7. How to report a Monzo scam (UK)

What a Monzo scam looks like

A Monzo scam impersonates Monzo, or a caller claiming to be from its fraud team, to make you move money, share your login, or read out a one-time code. Because Monzo customers manage their account mainly through the app and Monzo has no branches, a common trick is a call or message claiming your account is "compromised" and that you must transfer funds to a "safe account" to protect them. An example of the style is: Monzo Security: we've detected suspicious activity on your account. Verify your identity now or your account will be frozen: monzo-verify.example.

This guide shows the warning signs, how to check safely, and what to do if you have already responded.

Why these scams are convincing

People are used to managing Monzo by app, call, or message, which makes a fake "security" contact feel plausible. A caller who already knows your name or partial account details, and a spoofed number, add to the pressure.

The fact that protects you: Monzo does sometimes call customers, and will always ask security questions before discussing your account — but it will never ask you to move your money to a "safe", "holding", or "protected" account. If someone calling claims to be from Monzo, you can check whether the call is genuine using Monzo's Call Status feature in the app before you say or do anything.

Signs a Monzo message is a scam

  • It claims suspicious activity or a compromised account and demands immediate action.
  • It asks you to "verify" through a link, or to confirm your PIN, card details, or a one-time code.
  • You are told to move money to a new, "safe", or "holding" account.
  • A caller claims to be from Monzo's fraud team and pressures you to stay on the line.
  • The link is not monzo.com or inside the genuine Monzo app.
  • You are asked to install screen-sharing or remote-access software during the call.

How the scam works

First, a call, text, or email claims a problem with your account. Second, urgency and fear push you to act immediately. Third, you are asked to "verify" through a link, share a one-time code, or move money to a "safe account". Fourth, criminals use the details to access your account or the transfer sends your money straight to them. Fifth, they may call again posing as Monzo to extend the scam.

Checking directly in the Monzo app, and never moving money because of a call or message, breaks the chain.

How to check a Monzo alert safely

If anything feels rushed, stop. Nothing genuine is lost by hanging up and checking for yourself.

  • Open the Monzo app from your own home screen and look at your transactions and account status there.
  • Check the call status on the app's Overview screen. Monzo says that if it does not show a member of the Monzo team talking to you, hang up right away and report it.
  • Know what that indicator covers: Call Status works when Monzo calls you, not when you call Monzo. If your phone is offline, it shows that it cannot verify the call; reconnect before continuing with anyone claiming to be Monzo. A caller who explains away what it shows is telling you what they need you to believe.
  • Put questions to Monzo yourself, through in-app chat or the fraud contact numbers on Monzo's own help pages — never a number read out to you.
  • Monzo says it will never ask you during a call or message to move money to a safe, holding or other account. Treat a "safe account" instruction as the end of the call.
  • Keep one-time codes, your Monzo PIN and card details private. Monzo also says it will never ask for your email password.
  • Refuse remote-access or screen-sharing software on an unexpected call.

Not sure whether a linked page is real? Our Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy walkthrough helps, and Police Impersonation Scam UK: Spot a Fake Officer Call covers the safe-account con in detail.

If you responded or shared details

In the Monzo app, freeze your card and open in-app chat to tell Monzo what happened; if you are locked out, use the fraud contact numbers on Monzo's own help pages, never one from the message.

Then work through our scam recovery checklist: the bank, password, device and identity steps, in order.

How to report a Monzo scam (UK)

Tell Monzo first, through in-app chat or the fraud numbers on its own help pages, so the account can be secured while a payment is still traceable. Forward a scam email to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk and a scam text to 7726.

If you lost money or shared sensitive information, also report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland; in Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. Our scam recovery checklist covers the evidence worth keeping.

Frequently asked questions

Is Monzo safe, or are these alerts real?

Monzo itself is a genuine, regulated bank. The scam is the impersonation around it. Check your account directly in the Monzo app, and never trust a link or number from an unexpected call or message.

Someone says my Monzo account is compromised and I must move money to a safe account - real?

No. That is a scam. Monzo will always ask security questions before discussing your account, but it will never ask you to move money to a safe account. Open the app yourself and use in-app chat, Call Status, or Monzo's own fraud page if you are unsure.

A caller claims to be from Monzo's fraud team - how do I check?

Use Monzo Call Status in the app. If the app does not show that Monzo is talking to you, hang up. Contact Monzo through the app or through numbers published on Monzo's own website, and never share a one-time code, your Monzo PIN, card details, or your email password.

I shared my login or moved money - can I get it back?

Possibly, but reimbursement is not automatic. Tell Monzo immediately through the app or an official route. An eligible consumer Faster Payment made on or after 7 October 2024 may fall under the mandatory APP reimbursement rules. The scheme has exclusions, an £85,000 cap and a 13-month outer reporting limit. A firm may apply an excess of up to £100, but not where it assesses the consumer as vulnerable.

How do I report a Monzo scam?

Report it through Monzo's in-app chat or the official fraud phone route first, then if you lost money or shared details, report it to Report Fraud in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland.

Sources checked

Think you’ve spotted a scam? Use the AI scam checker for an automated second opinion, or report it to Report Fraud for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland on 101 for Scotland.

Reporting routes in this guide are checked against our verified canon of official UK sources — Report Fraud for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland on 101 for Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre, and the consumer service for each nation — by an automated accuracy gate before publication. Editorially updated by , Founder & Editor, on 2026-07-26. Read about how Beat the Scam writes guides.

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