Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Have I been involved in fraud ?!

243 replies

cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:43

Hey everyone, I need some advice because I’m panicking right now.

I received a call from a friend I trust who said their account wasn’t working and they needed to make a payment for something. They asked if someone could send money to my account and then I forward it to my Revolut account so they could complete a payment through a Moonpig page. I agreed and didn’t really think anything of it at the time.

I received a transfer of £1,306 and followed their instructions. A few hours later, I tried to send the money on, but my account was suddenly restricted.

I checked my banking messages and they’re now asking for additional information about where the money came from, whether I know the person, and to provide any supporting evidence.

I’ve responded explaining what my friend told me and I’ve also sent a screenshot of the Moonpig request they mentioned. However, the conversation originally happened over the phone, so I don’t have any text messages or written proof of them asking me to do this.

I’m now really worried because I feel like I may have unknowingly been involved in fraud, and I don’t know what this means for me or what I should do next.

I have a holiday coming up next month and I’ve never experienced this before will the police get involved or would I have my account closed down what’s going to happen ?!

OP posts:
babyproblems · 22/04/2026 23:47

Seems odd to me that the bank would ask you where a payment was from for only that amount. Who sent you the money??
have you spoken to your friend - what have they said??
I don’t think the police will stop you going on holiday!! Or be interested in this particularly. Banks can be vigilant to protect themselves in my experience, seeing as they often have to refund money that is lost to fraud.
I would speak to your friend to find out what went on really and why etc, and then I’d speak to my bank to ask why the restriction.

Lougle · 22/04/2026 23:48

So person 1 called you to say that their account wasn't working, so they wanted person 2 to send you money that you would forward to a Revolut account. Was it person 1 or 2 who was going to use it for the Moonpig Order? Why couldn't you just place the order from your main account after person 2 had sent it to you?

Do you know person 1 well? Do you know person 2? Honestly, yes, this sounds like money laundering.

Heyhoherewego23 · 22/04/2026 23:49

£1300 for a moonpig order??? Yeah, that’s likely! How well do you know her? Sounds like money laundering, hence the stop on your account. You’re in for a whole world of investigation.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General shopping
DogAnxiety · 22/04/2026 23:49

It very much sounds like a fraud - I’m sorry. It might be your friend’s voice has been cloned by AI. Just follow whatever the police and your bank tell you to do.

decorationday · 22/04/2026 23:49

AI can be used to clone people's voices. And faces.

DomesticArchaeologist · 22/04/2026 23:50

DogAnxiety · 22/04/2026 23:49

It very much sounds like a fraud - I’m sorry. It might be your friend’s voice has been cloned by AI. Just follow whatever the police and your bank tell you to do.

That was my thought. It sounds far-fetched but it’s not impossible.

donotmissyourchancetoblow · 22/04/2026 23:50

£1300 to moonpig…the card company?!
it all sounds very dodgy and along the lines of money laundering.
yu need to speak to your friend and get all the details, who they were paying etc etc
banks are all over strange transactions and this definitely sounds very strange

babyproblems · 22/04/2026 23:51

I also don’t understand why they’d send you £1300 for a moonpig order.
I think even in the worst case scenario, you can explain you knew nothing about what was happening. You don’t need to give your consent to receive a payment into your account so that’s not a problem for you that I can see. And you didn’t know it wasn’t from your friend themselves??

cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:52

This reply has been hidden

This reply has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

Tillow4ever · 22/04/2026 23:53

Sounds like money laundering. Is this genuinely the only time you’ve done this? Seems odd that your friend would suddenly randomly ask you. What does this friend do for a living?

For such a “low” amount, it wouldn’t alone flag up at a bank usually - which makes me question if it’s happened before (or maybe it’s for more than you’re claiming). Or maybe the senders account has been flagged and anyone they send to gets blocked.

Did you never question why so much was needed to pay for something on Moonpig? Did they offer for you to keep some of the money as a “thank you”?

Original poster
cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:53

Sorry guys a typo it’s moonpig it’s a bank I’m seeing online like a online bank

OP posts:
Groundhogday2025 · 22/04/2026 23:53

It’s fraud. Someone needs to launder money, they transfer it to x person, who takes a cut then transfers it to another account. Did you really not know what you were involved in OP? I smell a rat.

Original poster
cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:53

Moonpay*

OP posts:
NmeChangr · 22/04/2026 23:54

That’s not your friend asking . Believe me

Iwantsandybeachesandgoodfood · 22/04/2026 23:55

It does sound like fraud. You need to speak to the bank, cancel any cards and follow their instructions. I’d report it to the police as well as the bank, I did this when I fell for a scam. It won’t make a difference on your holiday at all.

Original poster
cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:55

@Groundhogday2025why would I know what I was doing then come on here that’s crazy I hate frauds my friend asked me to do him a favor it’s someone I know I didn’t know it could have been fraud but now thinking might have been used to launder money if it’s fraud I feel sick

OP posts:
DomesticArchaeologist · 22/04/2026 23:55

babyproblems · 22/04/2026 23:51

I also don’t understand why they’d send you £1300 for a moonpig order.
I think even in the worst case scenario, you can explain you knew nothing about what was happening. You don’t need to give your consent to receive a payment into your account so that’s not a problem for you that I can see. And you didn’t know it wasn’t from your friend themselves??

I agree, just be 100% honest.

I had the police knock at my door once over a suspected fraud conducted from my address. They came in all guns blazing (figuratively speaking thank goodness) and basically acted like they’d caught me in the act and they knew everything so I should just give up. After a few minutes it was completely obvious to them that I had totally no idea what they were talking about.

FettchYeSandbagges · 22/04/2026 23:55

Tell the bank exactly what you have said here. They have actually done you a favour by stopping this transaction, and you need to thank them for blocking it.

This is an absolute classic, and you are a potential victim of fraud, not one of the perpetrators. Someone pays money into your account and asks you to transfer it on somewhere else. You do that, and then shortly afterwards the original transaction is cancelled and you are out of pocket.

If your friend couldn't use their account, how come this other person has sent it to you so you can transfer it somewhere else? Why didn't they just send it there direct instead of via you?

Lougle · 22/04/2026 23:55

You said 'I received a transfer of £1306 and followed their instructions'. What instructions could there be? Also, why did you wait a few hours before trying to send it on?

Banks normally ask you questions before you send money and you would have been asked to confirm if you'd been asked to move money by someone else. Did you answer yes or no?

Forty85 · 22/04/2026 23:55

Why would you not question why person 2 couldn't just transfer to moon pay, why did you need to be involved? Have you contacted your friends number back to ask what's going on since your bank put a stop to it. Surely they've contacted you asking why the transfer wasn't made?

Forty85 · 22/04/2026 23:55

Edited as posted twice for some reason.

Tillow4ever · 22/04/2026 23:57

This reply has been hidden

This reply has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

DomesticArchaeologist · 22/04/2026 23:58

cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:55

@Groundhogday2025why would I know what I was doing then come on here that’s crazy I hate frauds my friend asked me to do him a favor it’s someone I know I didn’t know it could have been fraud but now thinking might have been used to launder money if it’s fraud I feel sick

You never actually paid the money on though did you?

I know this must be scary but I’m sure they’ll get to the bottom of it fairly quickly. Sadly it seems to be happening more and more often these days.

Groundhogday2025 · Yesterday 00:00

cakeslenon6 · 22/04/2026 23:55

@Groundhogday2025why would I know what I was doing then come on here that’s crazy I hate frauds my friend asked me to do him a favor it’s someone I know I didn’t know it could have been fraud but now thinking might have been used to launder money if it’s fraud I feel sick

People do it because it’s a quick, “victimless” way of making a bit of money. But if you’ve been tricked into doing this and have nothing to hide then that’s all you would need to tell investigators. Just be fully transparent if you are innocent or a victim yourself.

Tillow4ever · Yesterday 00:00

My post has been hidden as I mentioned the C word in relation to virtual money - that’s what type of bank you were trying to pay to. Dodgy as hell.

Swipe left for the next trending thread