Is someone who sent money to me by accident running a scam?
Almost certainly yes. 'Accidental' transfers to strangers are a well-known scam opener: the money comes from a stolen account, and when you refund it, you are out of pocket.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
The accidental transfer scam works because the money that arrived in your account looks real. The sender asks you to return it, often urgently. You send your own money as the refund. Then the bank reverses the original 'accidental' payment because it came from a stolen account or a fraudulent card, leaving you down the amount you refunded. A variation involves the sender asking you to send the refund to a different account than the one it came from — a request with no honest explanation, since a genuine mistaken sender wants their money back where it came from.
The timing gap is the mechanism. Fraudulent payments can take days or weeks to be identified and clawed back, while your 'refund' leaves instantly and permanently. The scammer's urgency exists to make sure your real money is gone before the fake money is. Some versions add emotional pressure — a sender in apparent distress about rent or medical bills — or threats of police involvement to hurry you past calling your bank.
The correct process protects you completely: contact your bank, explain that an unknown payment arrived, and let them reverse it through official bank-to-bank channels. You are not obliged to act on the sender's instructions, only to not spend money that is not yours — so leave the amount untouched while the banks resolve it. If the sender becomes aggressive, stop responding and let your bank's fraud team handle all further contact.
Common red flags
- An unexpected payment arrives from an unknown person
- Sender contacts you urgently asking for the money back
- They ask you to refund to a different account from where the money came
- Sender has a sense of urgency and becomes aggressive if you suggest using the bank
What to do now
- Do not send any money back directly
- Contact your bank and explain the situation — they can facilitate the reversal
- Do not withdraw or spend the amount while it is under dispute
- Report the incident to your bank's fraud team
Frequently asked questions
Am I obligated to return money sent to me in error?
Yes — funds received in error are not yours to keep. But the correct process is a bank-facilitated reversal, not a private transfer. Never refund directly to an unknown person.
The sender is threatening to report me to the police if I don't refund immediately. Should I worry?
No. Leaving the funds untouched and notifying your bank is exactly the right conduct, and no police force acts on a 'refund me faster' complaint. Threats and urgency are the scam's signature — let your bank handle the sender.
Why do they ask for the refund to go to a different account?
Because the original sending account is stolen and will be frozen or reversed. Directing your 'refund' elsewhere separates your real money from the fraudulent trail — a request no genuine mistaken sender would ever make.