Some banks unilaterally remove money from customers' accounts, referencing a “discrepancy of amount" (for example, when buying or selling cryptocurrencies) or due to the payer has requested a charge back. What should a bona fide account holder do if money has been wrongfully removed? The first step is to submit an official complaint to your bank that has removed your funds. The bank has 8 weeks to consider the complaint and respond. Sometimes banks are unable (or unwilling) to resolve the issue, in which case it will insistently advise the client to apply to the Financial Ombudsman. This is a TRAP! Once the client has complained to the ombudsman, the bank legally "loses" the right to communicate with the client directly and your case is stuck with the ombudsman for another 4 months (with no guarantee of a positive outcome). The best solution is to submit a court claim online - www.moneyclaim.gov.uk . Banks try to avoid legal disputes with customers (it is expensive and courts often are sympathetic to customers rather than banks) and prefer to settle amicably by refunding the amount due and related costs before trial.