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Original poster

Someone’s transferred me money

97 replies

HironsBirons · 16/07/2020 18:12

Quite a lot of money. My bank statement just says my name in the notes section Confused. The bank can’t help, they just keep asking if I was expecting this. I literally cannot think of any reason why anyone would be sending me £800 - I’m not expecting a refund for anything that I can think of.

Any ideas?? Is this some sort of scam?! Confused

OP posts:
sueelleker · 16/07/2020 18:54

I've heard of a scam like this; something like this.www.kaspersky.com/blog/incoming-transfer-scam/31716/

Esspee · 16/07/2020 18:55

I vaguely remember reading about a scam which starts like this so be wary and do not return the money to anyone. Leave it up to the bank to sort out.

TroysMammy · 16/07/2020 18:59

The Bank should be able to look up the bank details of the credit. Back in the day I think it was called a CDI list. It could be automated now but it was a massive computer print out sent to branches daily "in the bags".

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 16/07/2020 19:01

I wish someone would put £800 in my bank

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 16/07/2020 19:02

Grin lighthearted obviously

mathanxiety · 16/07/2020 19:03

OP, you need to wait and see if someone contacts you. Do not do anything they ask regardless of any threats.

Move the money.

Take it out in cash or open a new account with it. Do this in person.

Do not do anything with that money over the phone.

Chloemol · 16/07/2020 19:19

Go bank to the bank, they will be able to advise you want bank account and sort code it came from. If it’s not one of yours they can arrange to send the money back

mathanxiety · 16/07/2020 19:20

Sit tight.

Sleepsoon7 · 16/07/2020 19:20

Not sure why you are being advised to take the money out. I’d leave it in your account. If it’s been transferred in error then the transferee’s bank will contact yours and ask for it to be returned. Your bank will notify you of this request which I believe you then either authorise - and the money is returned - or don’t. If the transfer was made deliberately (albeit in error) to your account by the transferee then my understanding from having done this recently is that the bank cannot force it to be returned. (I meant to make a bill payment on line and having several set up, stupidly paid the wrong payee). If the bank has made an error then it would be for them to sort it out but again I don’t think they can force you to return it. It isn’t theft - the money was send to you and you did not dishonestly appropriate it. There may be a civil remedy but don’t know what. Personally I would return it if sent to me in error but do it via the bank as others have indicated in case it is a scam. The person I sent a large sum to in error did exactly that - waited for the banks to ‘talk to each other’ and then authorised the money being returned. I was extremely grateful!!

Sleepsoon7 · 16/07/2020 19:21

Transferor not transferee of course I meant....

mathanxiety · 16/07/2020 19:21

Wait until the transaction is finalised. My guess is that it is 'pending' right now.

If you move any money out of your account you may well find that the £800 has already been moved/transaction canceled.

You risk sending your own money after theirs if you do anything too soon.

TapirTastic · 16/07/2020 19:27

This happened to my husband years ago and it was a scam. I can’t remember the exact details but I think someone had intercepted a new bank card that had been sent out to him and were then going to withdraw the money using the card - it was an attempt to launder money I think. So yeah as pp say don’t spend it (yet)!

ThickFast · 16/07/2020 19:28

Never heard of this scam before. So someone puts money in your account and then cancels it. But because of the time lag on showing transactions, it looks like it’s still in your account. But it’s not. You return the £800 but then it ends up being your money you’re giving them because their money was never really in your account in the first place. Just looked like it. Is that it?

BertieBotts · 16/07/2020 19:30

Call the bank directly and ask them to verify. I wouldn't be waiting for them to contact you in case it's a scam! If the bank does contact you, they won't mind you saying "I've heard of a scam that does this, I'm going to call back on your central/branch number". Call them from a different phone.

BertieBotts · 16/07/2020 19:31

Could it be a corona-related cancellation refund, though? I've had a few of those with frustratingly little information attached to the transaction! I've been able to work out what is what based on amounts but some people on my local group with more children (so more activities etc) have been scratching their heads.

mama3bear · 16/07/2020 19:36

I had money paid into my account unexpectedly today too.
It was also from 'me'
After some research it turns out it's a refund for a school trip that didn't happen due to the current pandemic.
Been told it was unlikely we'd get it back so I'd forgotten about it and written it off so a nice surprise.
Hope you get to the bottom of it - nothing worse than not knowing!

lifesalongsong · 16/07/2020 19:41

What is the time lag posters are talking about? There's no time lag with a transfer between accounts nowadays is there, once it gets to you it's gone from the payers account

BertieBotts · 16/07/2020 19:43

That's the assumption that the scammers prey on, as far as I understand it.

jessycake · 16/07/2020 19:47

Although banks do confirm the exact name and account details it doesn't mean people always look properly , especially if paying a stranger for something .

Spanishmama0114 · 16/07/2020 19:50

@Sleepsoon7

Not sure why you are being advised to take the money out. I’d leave it in your account. If it’s been transferred in error then the transferee’s bank will contact yours and ask for it to be returned. Your bank will notify you of this request which I believe you then either authorise - and the money is returned - or don’t. If the transfer was made deliberately (albeit in error) to your account by the transferee then my understanding from having done this recently is that the bank cannot force it to be returned. (I meant to make a bill payment on line and having several set up, stupidly paid the wrong payee). If the bank has made an error then it would be for them to sort it out but again I don’t think they can force you to return it. It isn’t theft - the money was send to you and you did not dishonestly appropriate it. There may be a civil remedy but don’t know what. Personally I would return it if sent to me in error but do it via the bank as others have indicated in case it is a scam. The person I sent a large sum to in error did exactly that - waited for the banks to ‘talk to each other’ and then authorised the money being returned. I was extremely grateful!!
I advise the op to remove it and out it in to another account incase she accidentally spends some of it and then has to find the money when the bank ask for it.
lifesalongsong · 16/07/2020 19:50

@jessycake

Although banks do confirm the exact name and account details it doesn't mean people always look properly , especially if paying a stranger for something .
I don't know if all bank operate in the same way but with mine if the payee you type in isn't the same as the name on the account number you can't do the transfer without confirming you recognise that the name is not the same.

But I don't think this is the issue here as the payee is the showing as the OP which wouldn't fit

mathanxiety · 16/07/2020 19:57

ThickFast - yes.

HooNoes · 16/07/2020 20:06

There is no lag between money appearing in your account and when it's in your account. Maybe 50 years ago with cheques and the like. When you click on the transaction on your online statement, does it bring up nothing?

HooNoes · 16/07/2020 20:12

It would be really hard to jumble up two names, even if identical and from the same branch as they'd both have different bank a/c numbers. And the likelihood of Joe wanting to pay Mary Smith in Liverpool branch, not only getting another Mary Smith in Liverpool but also managing to get second Mary Smith's bank account number right when he was transferring to first account number is infinitesimal.

That said, I'd put it directly into a seperate savings account and not touch it.

HooNoes · 16/07/2020 20:15

Read your post closely, just in case it's a pension fund being paid or something odd like that.

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