Confirmation of Payee: what the name check means
When you set up a new payee in your banking app, your bank checks whether the name you typed matches the name on the account you're paying. It's called Confirmation of Payee. It's one of the best scam defences you have, but only if you understand what the result is telling you.
The three results
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Match | The name you entered is the name on the account. | Good sign, but not proof. A criminal can open an account in a made-up company name, or persuade you to pay "John Smith" because that's what they told you. Still check why you're paying. |
| Close match (partial match) | The name is similar but not identical. The bank shows you the real account name. | Often innocent: "J Smith" instead of "John Smith", or a company's trading name instead of its registered name. Read the name shown. If it's not clearly the same person or business, phone them to check. |
| No match | The name on the account is different from the one you entered. | Stop. Don't pay until you've phoned the person or business on a number you already trust. A no match is the classic sign of an invoice scam or a fake seller. |
You may also see "unable to check". This usually means the receiving bank doesn't take part in the scheme, the account is overseas, or there was a technical problem. Treat it as a no match until you've checked another way.
What Confirmation of Payee can't do
- It doesn't stop the payment. You can carry on after any warning. If you do, and it was a scam, your bank may argue you ignored a clear warning when you ask for a refund.
- It doesn't check that the person is honest. A match to "Sunrise Tickets Ltd" tells you the account belongs to a company called that, not that the tickets exist.
- It only covers UK accounts at participating banks and payment firms. International payments, including by IBAN, usually aren't checked.
- It only runs when you add or change a payee. It won't warn you about a payee you set up years ago whose email has since been hacked.
Reading the result in real situations
- Paying a builder, solicitor or supplier: expect the business name. A personal name, or a different business, means phone before paying. See invoice and bank detail scams.
- Buying from a private seller online: expect the seller's own name. If the account name is someone else, they may be using a money mule account. Walk away.
- Paying "your own new account", "a safe account" or an account "in your name" that a caller gave you: it doesn't matter what the name check says. No bank or police force ever asks you to move money. See impersonation scams.
- Paying family or friends: a no match when you're sure of the details is worth a quick call. People mistype digits too.
Check the bank behind the account too
Not sure where an account is? Our sort code lookup shows which UK bank and branch a sort code belongs to, and our IBAN checker validates an IBAN and shows the bank and country. A UK company asking you to pay an account in another country is a warning sign.
If you paid after a warning
Call your bank on 159 straight away and ask them to recall the payment, then report to Report Fraud. You can still claim under the reimbursement rules, but the bank will look at whether the warning was clear and whether it was reasonable to go ahead. Our scam help page explains the rules. Bank Safe Online is an information site and can't look into individual payments.
Last reviewed: October 2026