Scam type
Bank Transfer Scams
Bank transfer fraud — often called authorised push-payment (APP) fraud — happens when someone is deceived into sending money from their own account to an account controlled by a criminal. The payment itself is genuine and authorised, which is exactly what makes these cases difficult: the deception lies in who the recipient really is or why the payment was requested.
If this has happened to you, the two things that matter most are speed and records. Contact your bank straight away so a recall can be attempted, then preserve every message and document. ChargeBack can help you organise that evidence, map where the money went, and prepare a clear account of the deception for your bank, the police, or an ombudsman.
The pattern
How this scam typically works
The pretext
The fraudster creates a believable reason to pay: a supplier's invoice, a house deposit, an urgent bill, or a call claiming to be from your bank's fraud team warning that your account is at risk.
The impersonation
Emails, phone numbers, and letterheads are spoofed to look like a genuine business, solicitor, or bank. In invoice redirection cases, a real supplier's email thread is hijacked and 'updated' bank details are sent mid-conversation.
The authorised payment
You are guided to make the transfer yourself — sometimes to a so-called 'safe account' to protect your money. Because you approve the payment, it passes your bank's normal security checks.
The dispersal
Once received, funds are typically moved quickly through further accounts or converted to cash or crypto. This is why the first hours and days after the payment matter so much for any recall attempt.
Warning signs
- A caller claiming to be your bank asks you to move money to a 'safe account' — real banks never do this
- A supplier or solicitor suddenly announces new bank details, especially mid-transaction
- Pressure to pay immediately, keep the transfer secret, or mislead your bank about the reason for it
- Payee names that do not match the business you believe you are paying
- Contact details in the payment request differ subtly from previous genuine correspondence
- Requests to split a payment across several accounts or send a 'test' transfer first
What to do right now
- Call your bank's fraud line immediately and ask them to attempt a recall and to alert the receiving bank — every hour counts before funds are moved on.
- If a business relationship was involved, contact the genuine supplier or firm through a number you already trust to confirm what happened.
- Report the fraud to your local police or national fraud-reporting service and keep the reference number.
- Preserve all evidence: the payment instructions you received, emails, call logs, text messages, and your own bank confirmations.
- Be cautious of anyone who then contacts you offering recovery for an upfront fee — follow-up scams frequently target the same victims.
Evidence worth collecting
- Bank statements showing the transfer, with dates, amounts, and payee details
- The invoice, email, or message that contained the account details you paid
- Earlier genuine correspondence, for comparison with the fraudulent version
- Phone numbers, email addresses, and websites the fraudster used
- Notes of any calls: when they happened, what was said, and who claimed to be speaking
- Confirmation-of-payee warnings or name-mismatch alerts your bank displayed, if any
- Reference numbers from your bank, the police, or any fraud-reporting service
How ChargeBack can help
- Build a precise timeline of the deception, from first contact to final transfer
- Organise your messages, invoices, and statements into a structured case file
- Document the payment flow so recall requests and complaints reference the right accounts and dates
- Identify which channels may apply to your case — recall, formal complaint, ombudsman, or police report
- Prepare a clear written account of how you were deceived, which is central to how banks assess APP fraud claims
We assess and document; banks, payment providers, and authorities decide outcomes. No recovery can be guaranteed by anyone.
Possible channels
Dispute and reporting channels that may apply
Which channels are realistic depends on how you paid, where the money went, and how quickly the incident was reported.
Bank recall request
Your bank can ask the receiving bank to freeze and return the funds. Recalls are not guaranteed and depend heavily on how quickly you report, because criminals move money on fast.
APP reimbursement schemes
Some countries operate reimbursement schemes or codes covering authorised push-payment fraud. Eligibility rules, time limits, and outcomes vary, so ask your bank what applies where you live.
Police and fraud-reporting services
An official report creates the record banks and schemes usually require, and receiving-account details can help authorities link your case to others.
Ombudsman or banking dispute body
If you believe your bank handled the payment or your fraud claim poorly, a formal complaint followed by an ombudsman referral may be open to you in your country.
In Canada
Where to report and complain in Canada
The official routes for someone who lives in Canada. Report quickly, and keep the file numbers you are given — every one of these bodies works from the evidence you hold.
Your local police
Report the fraud to your local police service — or to the RCMP where it polices your area — and ask for a file or occurrence number. Banks and exchanges often ask for it, and it belongs at the front of your evidence.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre as well, online or by telephone on 1-888-495-8501. The CAFC asks for reports even from people who have already gone to the police, and from witnesses as well as victims, because it is how patterns across Canada are found.
Your bank or card issuer — straight away
Use the number on the back of your card or on your bank's own website, never one given to you by the person or site involved. Ask the bank to stop further payments and to try to recall or dispute the money, and make a formal complaint. Note the date you complained: it starts the clock for the next step.
If your bank says no: OBSI
The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments is the free, independent complaints body that every federally regulated bank in Canada must belong to. You can take your complaint to OBSI once 56 days have passed since you first complained to the bank, or sooner if the bank has already given you its final response. Once you have that final response in writing, you have 180 calendar days. Credit unions and caisses populaires are regulated by their province and have their own routes — ask yours which applies.
Interac e-Transfers and wire transfers
A payment you sent yourself is harder to dispute than a card payment, so speed matters most here. Ask your bank at once to contact the receiving bank and try to hold or recall the money. An Interac e-Transfer that has not yet been deposited may still be cancelled — ask your bank immediately.
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
FCAC supervises how federally regulated banks meet their consumer protection obligations, including how they handle complaints. It does not decide individual disputes or order refunds, but you can tell it if you believe your bank has not followed those obligations.
General information from each body's published guidance, not advice on Canadian law. Confirm deadlines with the body concerned.
FAQ
Common questions
Start here
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Tell us what happened. We will review the information and explain whether our services are relevant — and, if you choose to proceed, exactly what any investigation would involve and cost.