How To Recover After a Wire Transfer Scam
Urgent actions to attempt to recall a fraudulent wire transfer and the reporting steps that follow.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
First 10 minutes
- Call your bank's fraud line right now — wire recalls are time-critical
- Ask the agent to place an immediate request to recall the wire transfer
- Note the full wire details: amount, beneficiary name, receiving bank, and reference
- Ask your bank for the SWIFT or BIC code and any reference your recall request has been given
- Do not send any further payments, even if told it will release the original funds
First 24 hours
- Request written confirmation from your bank that a recall has been submitted
- Report to the FBI IC3 at ic3.gov, the FTC, or Action Fraud depending on your country
- If a business was involved, inform your finance team and legal counsel immediately
Contact your bank or payment provider
- Ask your bank to formally request a reversal from the receiving bank via SWIFT
- Ask whether the transfer has already been withdrawn — this affects recall chances
- Provide all supporting evidence to strengthen the recall case
Evidence to preserve
- Save the wire transfer confirmation including beneficiary details and your bank reference
- Screenshot or save all communications with the scammer
- Preserve any invoices, emails, or contracts used to trigger the payment
Secure your accounts and devices
- Change your email and banking passwords if they may have been compromised
- Review who has authority to initiate wire transfers in your organisation
- Enable two-factor authentication on all business email accounts
Report it
- Report to your national fraud/cybercrime service
- Report to the platform, bank, or provider involved
- Keep any reference numbers you're given
Wire transfers are the hardest type of payment to recover. Once the receiving bank has allowed the funds to be withdrawn, recovery is rarely possible. However, if you act within hours, your bank can submit a formal recall through the SWIFT network and there is a chance the receiving bank has not yet released the funds.
Report to your national fraud service quickly — law enforcement agencies sometimes have faster routes to freeze receiving accounts than individual banks acting alone.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a wire transfer be recalled?
Wire recall requests need to be submitted within hours of the transfer. The receiving bank is not obliged to reverse the transfer, but many will co-operate with a formal recall request if the funds have not yet been withdrawn.