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

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

A message arrives from a number you don't know: "Hi, so sorry, I've just transferred $300 to your account by mistake, it was meant for my landlord. Could you please send it back? It's my rent money." Sometimes it's a phone call, sometimes a polite, slightly desperate text, often with a screenshot of the "payment". It's natural to want to help. But this is a well-established scam, and the way you "help" is exactly how they take your money. The safe rule: never send money back yourself; let your bank handle it.

How does the accidental payment scam work?

There are three versions, and it helps to know all of them:

• The money doesn't exist: it's a fake screenshot or a fake bank message. They send a screenshot of a supposed transfer, or a text or email imitating your bank ("You have received $300.00"). None of it shows up in your account, but the story pushes you to "return" money you never received.
• The money doesn't exist: it's a request dressed up as a refund. On some apps and marketplaces, what you receive isn't a payment but a payment request or a link to "accept the refund" or "confirm receipt". If you tap it and enter your details, the money goes from you to them.
• The money is real, and that's the problem. In the most elaborate version, a real deposit lands in your account. It comes from a stolen account or a card that will later be disputed. They ask you to send it back, but to a different account or number. When the original payment is reversed, the bank takes that money back from you, and the amount you "returned" is gone. Worse, you may have helped move stolen money, which is how scammers use people as "money mules".

How can I tell it's this scam?

1. A stranger tells you about a mistake only you can "fix". Someone who genuinely makes a mistake usually contacts their own bank, not a stranger.
2. The "proof" is a screenshot, text or email, not a transaction you can see in your own internet banking.
3. You're asked to accept, confirm or tap something to "receive" or "return" the money. Receiving a bank transfer never requires you to do anything.
4. They ask you to send it back to a different account from the one that supposedly paid you, or by a different method such as cryptocurrency or gift cards.
5. There's pressure if you hesitate: more and more desperate messages or voice notes.
6. The amount doesn't add up: "I meant to send $30 but typed $300, just send back the difference."

What should I do right now?

1. Don't rush to reply and don't accept or tap anything. If there's a pending payment request or link, ignore or decline it. Nothing bad happens if you don't answer.
2. Open your bank's app or internet banking yourself, without using any link in the message, and check your transactions. Is there a real deposit or not? Trust only what you see in your account.
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 any other account. Don't spend it either: the money isn't yours. Call your bank on its official number (on the back of your card or in its app), tell them about the deposit and the messages, and ask them to deal with it through their own process for payments made in error. If the payer genuinely made a mistake, their bank will contact yours.
5. Keep evidence: screenshots of the chat, the number, voice notes and any request you received. If there was a real deposit, note the date, time and amount.
6. Block and report the number in the spam numbers directory so others can recognise it.

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

• Call your bank as soon as possible on its official number, explain that you've been scammed and ask them to try to stop or recall the payment. Online transfers move quickly, so speed matters.
• If they asked for passwords or codes during the conversation (for example, a code you received by text), change your internet banking password and tell your bank: there may be more attempts.
• Report it to Police on 105 or through the 105 online service on the NZ Police website, with screenshots, the number and the transaction details. If a real deposit passed through your account, tell Police that too: being open from the start is what protects you.
• Don't pay anyone who offers to "recover" the money for a fee.

Where do I report it and who can help?

• NZ Police on 105, or 111 if you're being threatened or there's immediate danger.
• The National Cyber Security Centre: report the scam to the NCSC, which collects reports of scams and fraud.
• Consumer Protection: its Scamwatch pages explain how to recognise and report scams.
• Your bank, always on its official number, never one the scammer gives you.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone take money from me just because they have my account number? Not on its own. Your account number is designed to be shared so people can pay you. The danger comes when you're tricked into sending money, accepting a request, tapping a link or giving out passwords or codes.

Someone really did pay money into my account. Isn't it more honest to return it myself? It's honest to return it, but the safe way is through your bank. If you send it to an account they choose, you could lose your own money when the original payment is reversed, and you could end up moving stolen funds.

Someone claiming to be from my bank is calling to "help me return" the payment. Can I trust them? No. Hang up and call your bank yourself on the number on your card. Scammers often follow up with a fake bank call.

What if the message comes from a friend's number? Their account may have been taken over. Call them on their usual number before doing anything.

In short

A stranger who "sent you money by mistake" is almost always running a scam: either the money doesn't exist, or it's real and stolen and you'll be left out of pocket. Check your account yourself, don't accept or tap anything, and never send money back on your own: let your bank handle it. If you've already paid, call your bank and report it to Police. And report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory.