Protect yourself from fraud and scams

Recognise warning signs, transfer money safely and act quickly if something does not feel right

Fraudsters use convincing stories, pressure, impersonation and technology to persuade people to send money or disclose confidential information.

This page explains common warning signs, how to transfer money safely and what to do if you believe you have been targeted by fraud or a scam.

TwintaPay is a trading name of United Exchange Ltd.

Act immediately: If you believe you have sent money to a fraudster, disclosed banking information or lost control of an account, contact your bank or payment provider immediately. Contact TwintaPay immediately where the matter involves a TwintaPay transfer.

Report suspected fraud to TwintaPay

Contact us as soon as possible using the following details:

  • Email: compliance@twintapay.co.uk
  • Telephone: +44 (0)161 566 7083
  • Address: 149 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M8 8LY, United Kingdom

Provide your full name, contact details, transaction reference and a brief explanation of what happened.

Never send your password, card PIN, online-banking password or one-time passcode by email.

How TwintaPay will communicate with you

TwintaPay may contact you about account verification, transfer information, compliance enquiries, customer support, complaints or account security.

However, TwintaPay will never ask you through an unsolicited telephone call, email, text message or social-media message to:

  • Disclose your full password or card PIN;
  • Share a one-time passcode;
  • Give another person remote access to your device;
  • Move money to a so-called safe account;
  • Send money to an employee’s personal account;
  • Hide the real purpose or recipient of a transfer;
  • Give false information to your bank or TwintaPay;
  • Make an urgent payment to prevent arrest or account closure;
  • Pay a fee to release lottery winnings, an inheritance or an unexpected refund.

If you receive a suspicious communication claiming to be from TwintaPay, stop the conversation and contact us using the details published on this website.

Common warning signs

Stop and investigate carefully where someone:

  • Pressures you to make an immediate payment;
  • Asks you to keep the transfer secret;
  • Tells you not to speak to your bank, family or TwintaPay;
  • Asks you to provide a false reason for the transfer;
  • Changes payment details unexpectedly;
  • Promises guaranteed profits or risk-free investment returns;
  • Requests payment before releasing a prize, loan, refund or inheritance;
  • Requests payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards or an unusual method;
  • Refuses to meet or speak by video call;
  • Provides information that changes or cannot be independently verified;
  • Uses fear, urgency, romance, authority or family hardship to pressure you;
  • Asks to use your account to receive or transfer money.

A professional-looking website, document, social-media profile, email address or telephone number does not prove that a person or organisation is genuine.

Impersonation scams

A fraudster may pretend to represent your bank, TwintaPay, the police, HMRC, the FCA, a solicitor, a delivery company, a utility provider or another trusted organisation.

Fraudsters can copy logos, create similar email addresses, imitate official websites and disguise the telephone number displayed on your screen.

Do not use contact details provided in the suspicious message. End the conversation and contact the organisation independently using a telephone number or website you already know to be genuine.

Family and emergency scams

A criminal may claim to be a relative or friend who has lost their telephone, changed their number, had an accident, been arrested or urgently needs money.

Before transferring funds:

  • Call the person using a number you already know;
  • Ask a question only the genuine person should know;
  • Speak to another family member;
  • Do not rely only on text or instant messages;
  • Be suspicious if you are told to keep the request secret.

Romance and friendship scams

Romance fraud commonly involves someone building trust over time before requesting money for travel, medical treatment, legal fees, business problems or an emergency.

Warning signs include repeated excuses for not meeting, requests involving several accounts, stories that change when questioned and strong emotional pressure to send money.

Never transfer money merely because you feel guilty, responsible or emotionally committed to someone whose identity and circumstances you have not independently verified.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams

Fraudulent investments may be promoted through social media, messaging applications, online adverts, telephone calls or fake celebrity endorsements.

Be cautious of:

  • Guaranteed or unusually high returns;
  • Pressure to invest immediately;
  • Fake online dashboards showing invented profits;
  • Requests for additional tax or release fees before withdrawal;
  • Instructions to pay an individual or unrelated business;
  • Unsolicited investment advice from an online contact.

Check whether a financial business is regulated and has the correct permissions. A Companies House registration alone does not mean that an investment is regulated or safe.

Purchase and marketplace scams

Fraudsters may advertise vehicles, accommodation, tickets, products or services that do not exist or do not belong to them.

Before making payment:

  • Research the seller independently;
  • Be cautious where the price is far below normal market value;
  • Do not leave a marketplace’s protected payment system without good reason;
  • Do not rely solely on documents or identification supplied by the seller;
  • Check whether photographs have been copied from another website;
  • Use a payment method offering appropriate protection where available.

Money-mule and fake-job scams

A money mule is someone who receives and transfers criminal funds through their own bank, payment or money-transfer account.

Criminals may offer fake jobs involving receiving customer payments, transferring money, buying cryptocurrency or keeping part of the payment as commission.

Do not allow another person to use your TwintaPay account. Receiving or transferring criminal funds may result in financial loss, account restriction, regulatory reporting or criminal investigation.

Phishing and account security

Phishing messages attempt to persuade you to click a link, download a file, call a telephone number or disclose confidential information.

A phishing message may claim that your account has been suspended, a payment requires confirmation, you are due a refund or your identity must be verified urgently.

Do not click unexpected links or install software at another person’s request. Open the official website directly rather than through the message.

Use a strong and unique password for your email and TwintaPay account. Enable additional security features where available and never share a one-time passcode.

Before you send money

  • Confirm the recipient’s identity independently;
  • Understand exactly why the money is being sent;
  • Check the account or mobile-wallet details carefully;
  • Pause where there is pressure, secrecy or urgency;
  • Discuss the transfer with someone you trust;
  • Verify changed payment details using a separate contact method;
  • Research the person, company, product or investment;
  • Do not ignore fraud warnings from your bank or TwintaPay;
  • Do not provide false information about the purpose of a transfer;
  • Do not proceed where you feel uncertain or uncomfortable.

Once money has been credited or paid to the recipient, recovery may be difficult or impossible.

If you believe you have been scammed

  • Stop all communication with the suspected fraudster;
  • Do not make any further payments;
  • Contact your bank, card issuer or payment provider immediately;
  • Contact TwintaPay immediately if a TwintaPay transfer is involved;
  • Change any compromised passwords;
  • Secure your email, banking and payment accounts;
  • Remove remote-access software installed at another person’s request;
  • Keep messages, receipts, screenshots and account details as evidence;
  • Report the incident to the appropriate police fraud-reporting service;
  • Remain alert to anyone offering to recover your money for an upfront fee.

Report fraud and suspicious messages

If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, report fraud and cybercrime through Report Fraud or call 0300 123 2040.

If you live in Scotland, contact Police Scotland by calling 101.

If a crime is happening now, someone is in immediate danger or urgent police assistance is required, call 999.

  • Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk;
  • Forward suspicious text messages to 7726;
  • Report suspicious websites through the National Cyber Security Centre.

Can scam payments be reimbursed?

Whether money can be recovered or reimbursed depends on the payment method, circumstances, timing and payment providers involved.

Some eligible UK bank-transfer scam payments may be covered by authorised push-payment reimbursement protections. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately and ask whether those protections apply to your case.

Reporting fraud does not guarantee that the money will be recovered or reimbursed.

How TwintaPay may respond

Where fraud or attempted fraud is suspected, United Exchange Ltd may:

  • Delay, suspend or reject a transfer;
  • Request further information or documents;
  • Contact the customer to verify the instruction;
  • Restrict or suspend an account;
  • Contact a bank, payment provider or payout partner;
  • Preserve relevant transaction and communication records;
  • Report information to regulators, law-enforcement bodies or other authorised parties where permitted or required by law.

We may be unable to explain every action where disclosure would breach legal obligations, compromise an investigation or reveal confidential financial-crime controls.

Contact us

Legal information

TwintaPay is a trading name of United Exchange Ltd.

United Exchange Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 07860668 and is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority as a Small Payment Institution under Firm Reference Number 584295.

Registered office: 149 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M8 8LY, United Kingdom.