Fake Wise 'Safe Account' International Transfer Scam
Fraudsters impersonating Wise's fraud team tell account holders that their multi-currency balance is at risk and must be transferred to a 'Wise-secured account' before it is frozen — exploiting Wise's cross-border transfer capability to move funds internationally and out of reach.
Part of: Safe Account Scams
Last reviewed: 7 June 2026
Wise's core function is fast, low-cost international money transfer. For criminals running safe-account fraud, this is particularly useful: once a victim is persuaded to transfer their Wise balance to an attacker-controlled account, funds can be moved across multiple countries and currencies within hours — making recovery exceptionally difficult.
The attack begins with a call or in-app-looking message claiming that Wise has detected unusual cross-border activity on the victim's account and that the balance is at risk of being seized by a 'fraudulent claimant'. The supposed remedy is to transfer the balance to a 'Wise-secured escrow account' while Wise investigates. The receiving account is, of course, owned by the attacker.
Wise's multi-currency account holders — often freelancers, expats, or small business owners with meaningful balances in several currencies — are specifically targeted because the potential yield is higher than a single-currency account. The fraudster may reference specific currencies or balances obtained from prior data compromise to add credibility.
How this scam works on the Wise brand
Wise's genuine fraud-investigation process does not involve asking account holders to transfer their own funds. Wise can freeze an account, block suspicious transactions, and investigate on its own systems. If Wise needs to restrict an account, the restriction appears in the app and is communicated through in-app chat or email from @wise.com — not through an urgent call asking for an immediate transfer.
The attacker typically instructs the victim to initiate a transfer within the Wise app to a specific account number and sort code (or equivalent in the relevant country). Because the attacker has researched Wise's interface, the instructions are specific enough to sound authoritative. The recipient account appears to be in the same country as the victim but is actually controlled by the fraudster or a money mule.
After the transfer completes, the fraudster quickly converts the funds into another currency and initiates a further transfer out of their own account. By the time the victim contacts Wise's real support, the funds have moved through multiple hops.
Common red flags
- A call or message from 'Wise fraud team' asking you to transfer your balance to a secure account
- Instructions to initiate a transfer within the Wise app to an unfamiliar account at the direction of a caller
- The 'Wise agent' knows your balance or currency holdings — this may come from a prior data breach
- You are told your account will be frozen or your balance forfeited if you do not act within minutes
- No corresponding alert appears in the Wise app or in-app chat when you check independently
- The receiving account is described as 'Wise internal' but the beneficiary name looks like a personal account
- The caller instructs you to keep the transfer confidential to 'avoid alerting the fraudster'
How to protect yourself
- Hang up and contact Wise through in-app chat at wise.com/help to verify any alleged investigation
- Remember: Wise will never ask you to transfer your own funds to secure them
- Do not initiate any transfer under the instruction of someone who called you
- Review your Wise account's in-app notifications independently before taking any action
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Wise account to prevent credential-based access
- Set transfer limits in your Wise account settings to slow down large unauthorised outgoing transfers
- Tell a trusted friend or advisor about any call urging you to move funds quickly
How to report it
- Report through Wise in-app chat: open the Wise app and tap Help
- Forward details to [email protected]
- In the UK, report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk
- In the US, file a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov
- Contact your local police for a crime reference number if significant funds were lost
Frequently asked questions
Does Wise ever instruct account holders to transfer their balance during a fraud investigation?
No. Wise's fraud-investigation process is handled entirely within Wise's systems. Wise can freeze accounts without any action from the account holder. A call asking you to transfer your balance is not from Wise.
Why is international safe-account fraud particularly hard to recover from?
Funds transferred internationally through Wise can be quickly converted into another currency and moved again. Each additional transfer hop reduces the chance of recovery. Reporting to Wise immediately through in-app chat is critical to any recall attempt.
How do fraudsters know my Wise currency balances?
Balance information may come from prior data breaches at other services where the victim used the same email and password, or from phishing attacks that previously captured Wise login details. Knowing your balance does not make the caller a Wise employee.