Is a bank text asking me to approve a new payee a scam?
It could be. Scammers send fake bank texts to trick you into approving a payee they control — your bank will never rush this decision.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Authorised push payment fraud often begins with a text that looks exactly like a genuine bank alert, complete with a matching sender name. The message warns that an unfamiliar payee is awaiting your approval and gives you a short window to tap 'approve' or 'decline'. If you tap approve, money moves directly to the criminal. Real banks do send new-payee notifications, but they never threaten to block your account if you delay, and they never follow up with a phone call asking you to confirm over the phone. The key question is: did you initiate this payee yourself? If you did not, decline and call your bank on the number printed on your card.
Common red flags
- Text arrives with no prior transaction you initiated
- Urgency — 'approve within 10 minutes or account will be restricted'
- A phone call follows the text, pressuring you to confirm
- Sender ID matches your bank but the link goes to an unfamiliar domain
- Payee name looks vaguely like a known company
What to do now
- Do not approve any payee you did not set up yourself
- Hang up any follow-up call and dial your bank using the number on the card
- Report the text to your bank's fraud team and delete it
- If you approved by mistake, call your bank immediately to request a recall
Frequently asked questions
Can my bank send me a genuine new-payee notification?
Yes, but a genuine one will never pressure you to approve quickly or be followed by a call asking for your PIN or password. When in doubt, log in directly through the official app.