"I sent you money by mistake, please send it back": the reverse payment scam

A WhatsApp message, an SMS or a call arrives from a number you don't know: "Sorry, I sent you €150 by mistake, I typed the wrong number, could you send it back?" It sounds polite, it sounds believable, and it appeals to something very human: you don't want to keep money that isn't yours. That's the hook. This scam, known in Spain as the "reverse Bizum" (Bizum is Spain's instant mobile payment service, similar to other instant payment apps elsewhere), comes in several versions, and in every one of them the person who ends up losing money is you. The golden rule is simple: never return money "sent by mistake" yourself; check it in your bank's app and let the bank handle it.

How does the reverse payment scam work?

There are three variants, and it's worth knowing all of them because the opening conversation is almost identical:

• The money doesn't exist: it's a disguised request. The scammer hasn't sent you anything. What you receive is a payment request, and in the chat they push you to "accept the refund" or "confirm receipt". If you accept that request, the money leaves your account and goes to theirs. This is the most common variant, and it relies on the fact that many people can't tell at a glance whether they're being paid or being charged.
• The money doesn't exist: it's a fake screenshot. They send you a screenshot of a supposed receipt, or an SMS imitating your bank ("You have received €150.00"). None of it appears in your account, but the message is convincing enough for you to make the transfer "back" yourself.
• The money is real, and that's the problem. In the most elaborate version, the deposit is genuine: it arrives from a stolen account or from a card that will later be charged back. They ask you to return it, but to a different number or a different account ("it's my mum's", "mine is blocked"). If you do, two things happen: when the legitimate owner disputes the payment, the money will be taken back out of your account and you'll have lost what you sent; and you'll also have moved money of fraudulent origin, which can unknowingly turn you into a money mule laundering funds for a criminal network.

In every case the script repeats: friendliness, a small dose of urgency ("I need it to pay my rent today") and a request that you act yourself, quickly, and outside your bank's channels.

How can I tell it's a reverse payment scam?

These are the signs that should make you stop:

1. A stranger tells you about a mistake that only you can "fix". Someone who genuinely makes an error usually contacts their own bank, not a stranger.
2. You receive a payment request, not a deposit. In the payment app or your banking app, a request appears as something you have to accept or decline. Receiving money never requires you to accept anything or enter your PIN.
3. The "proof" is a screenshot or an SMS, not a transaction you can see in your account.
4. They ask you to send it back to a different number or account from the one that supposedly paid you.
5. There's pressure or insistence if you hesitate, or they send increasingly distressed voice notes.
6. The amount doesn't add up: "I meant to send you €15 but typed €150, send me back the difference."

If even one of these signs fits, stop and check before moving a single euro.

What should I do right now?

1. Don't rush to reply and don't accept anything. If you have a pending payment request, decline it. Nothing bad happens if you don't answer the chat.
2. Open your bank's app yourself, without tapping any links in the message, and check your transactions. Is there a real deposit or not? Trust only what you see in your account, never screenshots or SMS messages.
3. If there's no deposit, you know it's a scam: block the number and report it.
4. If the deposit is real, don't send it back yourself. Not to the number messaging you, and not to another account. Don't keep it either: the money isn't yours. Call your bank on its official number (the one in the app, on your card or on its website) or use the in-app chat, and explain that you received an unexpected amount and a stranger is demanding it back. The bank can return it to its source through the proper channel, with a record of it.
5. Keep evidence: screenshots of the chat, the number, the voice notes and the request you received. If there was a real deposit, note the date, time and amount.
6. Block and report the number in the spam number directory so others can recognise it.

One important note: if someone you do know tells you they made a mistake, the solution is the same, just without the suspicion: check the transaction in your app and, if it's real, send it back to the same contact who sent it, never to a new account.

What if I've already sent the money or accepted the request?

Don't blame yourself: this trick is designed precisely to exploit good faith. Act fast:

• Call your bank as soon as possible on its official number, explain that you've been the victim of fraud and ask them to try to stop or reverse the transaction. Instant payments are immediate and can't always be recovered, but the sooner you report it, the better the chances.
• If they asked you for passwords or codes during the conversation (for example, a code you received by SMS), change your online banking passwords and tell your bank about that too: there may be further attempts.
• File a police report. In Spain, with the Policía Nacional or the Guardia Civil; elsewhere, with your national or local police. Bring the screenshots, the number and the transaction receipt. A report is needed for any later claim.
• If you received a real deposit and forwarded it to another account, say so in your report and to your bank. Having helped without knowing doesn't make you guilty, but explaining it early protects you.

For more on recovery options, see how to get your money back after a phone scam.

Where do I report it and who can help?

• In Spain, the Policía Nacional (091) or the Guardia Civil (062) to file a report; if there's a threat or immediate danger, call 112. Elsewhere, contact your national police; 112 is also the emergency number across the EU.
• In Spain, INCIBE's 017 helpline, free and confidential, for guidance on what to do and how to protect your accounts; INCIBE's Oficina de Seguridad del Internauta (OSI) publishes alerts about active fraud campaigns. Elsewhere, your national cybersecurity agency or consumer fraud helpline.
• Your bank, always on its official number, never the one the scammer gives you.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone take money from me just because they have my payment app number? No. With services like Bizum, money only leaves your account if you send it or accept a request. That's why the scam needs you to do something: declining requests you weren't expecting is the best defence. Here we explain the most common payment app scams.

Someone really did deposit money in my account. Isn't it more honest to return it directly myself? The honest thing is not to keep it, and the safe way not to keep it is through your bank. Returning it yourself, especially to another account, can mean losing your own money when the original deposit is reversed, and unwittingly taking part in a fraudulent transfer.

Someone claiming to be from my bank is calling to "help me return" the payment. Can I trust them? Be wary. It's a common combination: after the "mistake" message comes a call from a fake bank. Hang up and call the official number yourself. We explain how to check whether a call from your bank is real.

What if the message comes from a friend's number? Phone them before doing anything. If their WhatsApp account has been hijacked, the scammer will write in their name.

In short

When you get an "I sent you money by mistake", the order is: accept nothing, check in your app whether the deposit exists, decline any request, never send the money to another account yourself, and let your bank handle it. If you've already fallen for it, bank first and police report second. NoCall helps you spot suspicious numbers before you answer, and if you've received one of these messages, report it in the NoCall spam number directory: your warning could stop the next person from falling for it.