APP fraud
Also called authorised push payment fraud, authorized push payment fraud
Fraud where you are tricked into sending a bank transfer yourself, to an account you think is genuine.
Most bank fraud used to mean someone stealing your card or breaking into your account. APP fraud is different: you log in, you approve the payment, and the bank's systems see a normal transfer from its real owner. What's fake is the story that made you send it, whether it came from a "fraud team", a romance, an investment or an invoice.
That's why it's grown. UK banks reported £576 million lost to APP fraud in 2025, up 19%, and UK Finance said criminals were using deepfakes, cloned voices and synthetic identities to impersonate trusted people.
The UK changed its rules so that most victims are reimbursed, which puts the pressure on banks to spot these payments before they leave. In the US, FinCEN has warned banks that deepfake identities are being used in schemes that include this kind of fraud.
For example
You pay a builder's invoice after an email says their bank details have changed; the email came from a criminal.
Put it to use
Where you'll meet APP fraud in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, how to use it there, and the mix-up most people make.
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