Content warning: This article discusses financial abuse and domestic abuse. If you need support, contact the 24/7 Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline on 0808 802 1414.
She couldn’t understand why her bank account was empty again. She’d been careful, budgeting every penny to save enough to leave. Then she discovered her partner had access to her banking app and was transferring money out and monitoring every transaction. Financial technology, designed for convenience, had become a digital cage.
The new face of financial abuse
Financial abuse has always been a cornerstone of domestic abuse controlling money to control the victim. But financial technology has given abusers powerful new tools. What once required physical access to bank statements or wallets can now be accomplished remotely, invisibly, and instantly through smartphones and apps.
Banking apps, payment platforms, budgeting tools, and cryptocurrency wallets all create digital footprints that abusers exploit. Many couples legitimately share financial access, making it difficult to recognise when monitoring crosses into abuse. But the line is clear: if technology is being used to control, intimidate, or trap you, it’s abuse.
Abusers often demand access to their partner’s banking apps, citing trust or joint financial management. Once granted, they monitor every transaction in real-time, questioning purchases, tracking locations through spending patterns, and controlling what victims can buy.
Shared payment apps can also become tools for humiliation and control. Abusers may leave abusive messages in transaction notes that are publicly visible, request money repeatedly to drain accounts, or refuse to contribute to shared expenses while monitoring the victim’s spending. Digital receipts and transaction histories provide detailed records of daily activities, eliminating any privacy.
The rise of buy-now-pay-later services and easy credit apps creates new avenues for economic sabotage. Abusers may take out loans or credit in their partner’s name, destroy credit scores to prevent victims from securing housing or financing their escape, or use shared accounts to accumulate debt that the victim becomes liable for.
The Impact
Financial abuse through technology creates multiple barriers to leaving. Victims cannot save money secretly when every transaction is monitored. They cannot access funds for solicitor consultations, refuge accommodation, or transportation when accounts are controlled or drained. The economic dependence that abusers create through these tools traps victims.
The psychological toll is immense. Constant financial surveillance creates anxiety and hypervigilance. The shame of financial exploitation prevents many from seeking help.
If you’re experiencing financial technology abuse, know that you’re not alone and there are steps you can take. When it’s safe to do so, change all passwords and PINs using a device your abuser cannot access. Enable biometric security on your phone to prevent unauthorised access. Contact your bank to remove shared access and set up new accounts the abuser doesn’t know about.
Many banks now have specialised domestic abuse teams who can help you secure your finances safely and discreetly. They can set up accounts without paper statements, implement additional security measures, and provide advice on protecting your credit.
Document financial abuse by taking screenshots of controlling messages, monitoring evidence, and unauthorised transactions on a secure device. This evidence can be crucial for legal proceedings and protection orders.
Consider opening a basic bank account at a different institution that your abuser has no connection to. Even small amounts saved here can provide crucial resources when you’re ready to leave.
Financial independence is fundamental to freedom. No one should use technology to control your money, monitor your spending, or trap you in a relationship. Your finances are your right, and help is available to reclaim that right.
Get Help Now
Nexus NI
Nexusni.org
24/7 Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline: 0808 802 1414
PSNI Non-Emergency: 101
Surviving Economic Abuse: 0808 802 0028
Safety Notice: If someone is monitoring your device, use private browsing or access support from a safe location.
Published by Nexus NI as part of our commitment to addressing all forms of domestic abuse, including financial control through technology.
