Someone says they sent money to my account by mistake and wants it back. Is it a scam?
It can be. Often no money arrived at all and the "alert" is fake. If money really arrived, do not send it back yourself: ask your bank to reverse it.
In one version, the scammer sends a fake alert and asks you to refund the "mistake". In another, real money arrives from a stolen account and you are pulled into moving it on.
Letting your bank handle the reversal protects you either way.
What to do
- Check your balance in the banking app, not the SMS.
- If nothing arrived, ignore the requests and block the number.
- If money did arrive, contact your bank and ask them to reverse it.
- Never send money to a different account than the one it came from.
Frequently asked questions
- They are threatening to report me to the police. Should I pay?
- No. Tell them your bank is handling it. A real sender will go through their own bank too.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for ₦2,500.
Check a person