An everyday example
Fictional example: Ruth in Cork is having her kitchen refitted. An email that seems to come from the fitter announces new bank details for the final payment of €2,400. Ruth sends an instant transfer, even though the bank's name check reports no match: the email had mentioned a new business account. Two days later the fitter politely asks when he will be paid.
Ruth calls her bank on the number in the app, reports the fraud and asks for a recall. The bank tries, but warns that the money has probably been moved on. Ruth reports the case to the police the same day and saves the email, the payment confirmation and her notes from the call. When a 'recovery agency' offers help for a fee a week later, she hangs up.
What should you do in the first hour, day and week?
| When | What you do | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| First hour | Call your bank, report the payment as fraud, ask for it to be stopped or recalled | Use the number from your app, card or contract, never one from the fraudster |
| First hour | Stop all contact with the fraudsters and pay nothing more | No 'final fee' to release or return the money |
| First day | Report it to the police and secure all evidence | Take screenshots before chats or profiles disappear |
| First day | If you shared login details or codes, have access blocked and change your password | Report payments you did not make separately |
| First week | Keep your police report confirmation and note the bank's answers in writing | Turn down unsolicited recovery offers |
Speed matters: the Bank of Italy describes an instant transfer as irrevocable from the moment it is ordered. A recall is not guaranteed, so ask your bank straight away what it can still do.
Tip: During the call, write down the time, the name of the person you spoke to and what the bank promised. You will need this note for the police report.
Did you authorise the payment, or was it taken without your consent?
Your rights against the bank depend on who initiated the payment. If you entered and approved the transfer yourself, it counts as authorised, even though you were deceived. Italy's banking ombudsman, for example, does not deal with payments made with your consent.
It is different if someone took money without your consent, for instance with stolen login details. Under the EU Payment Services Directive (2015/2366), you must tell your bank about an unauthorised payment without undue delay and no later than 13 months after the debit. The bank must then refund it immediately, by the end of the following business day at the latest. On 15 October 2026 the Court of Justice of the EU ruled (C-70/25) that this also applies if the bank accuses you of gross negligence. It may only hold back the refund if it has reasonable grounds to suspect fraud on your part and reports them in writing to the competent authority. If it later proves that you acted intentionally or with gross negligence, it can ask you to bear the loss.
There are grey areas, such as approving something on the phone while a fake bank employee talked you through it. These are legal questions for each individual case, so for larger sums get advice from a consumer organisation or a lawyer. Switzerland is not bound by the EU directive; ask your bank there which rules apply.
Since 9 October 2025, banks in the euro area must also check, free of charge, whether the payee's name matches the account before you pay; EU countries outside the euro area follow by 9 July 2027. The check mainly prevents mistakes, not every fraud. See our guide to verification of payee.
What can your bank still do, depending on how you paid?
| Payment method | What may still be possible | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Once executed it cannot simply be undone; credited funds generally need the payee's consent or a court order to come back | Ask your bank for a recall immediately |
| Instant transfer | Arrives in under ten seconds and is irrevocable once ordered | Call anyway and ask what your bank can still do |
| Money transfer service | A recall is possible as long as the recipient has not collected the cash | Call the provider's fraud hotline at once |
Switzerland's crime prevention service (SKP) advises telling your bank at once that the transfer was fraudulent, as the money may still be stopped on its way to the fraudsters.
Where do you report it in your country?
Report the fraud even if your bank is still attempting a recall. Police reports are free of charge in Germany and Austria, and in France your bank may ask for a copy of your complaint. Call an emergency number only if there is immediate danger, for example if someone is coming to collect money from you. 112 works free of charge from any phone throughout the EU.
| Country | Emergency | Police report | Further help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 110 (police) or 112 | Any police station, in writing or online depending on the federal state | Consumer advice centres |
| Austria | 133 (police) or 112 | Nearest police station; non-emergency line 059 133 | Watchlist Internet, Chamber of Labour |
| Switzerland | 117 (police) or 112 | Local or cantonal police | Reporting form of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, in German BACS) |
| France | 112 | Police, gendarmerie, letter to the public prosecutor, or online via THESEE | Info Escroqueries 0 805 805 817 |
| Italy | 112 | Police, including the Polizia Postale web desk | Banking ombudsman (ABF) for unauthorised payments |
| Spain | 112 | Any police station or the online portals of Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil | INCIBE helpline 017 |
Evidence to keep
- Payment confirmation or statement with amount, date and recipient account
- Chats, text messages and emails as screenshots
- Phone numbers, profile names and links to adverts or shops
- Your note of the bank call
Delete nothing until you have saved it. How to file evidence without exposing more data is covered in documenting a digital incident.
Why are recovery offers so risky after a scam?
German consumer advice centres warn of calls from fraudsters posing as consumer advice centres, authorities or lawyers, for example offering to recover lost money for an upfront fee. The number on your screen can be faked. Switzerland's crime prevention service (SKP) is blunt: a supposed private detective, lawyer or prosecutor who contacts you after an investment fraud very probably belongs to the same gang.
- The contact is unsolicited
- You must pay fees before any refund
- You are asked for personal or account details
- You are pressed to decide quickly
End such calls and check via an officially known number. More in our guide to paying for help after a scam.
Common mistakes
- Messaging the fraudsters to demand the money back instead of calling the bank first.
- Calling a number from the fraud message or opening a link the fraudsters sent.
- Deleting chats out of embarrassment before screenshots are saved.
- Skipping the police report because the amount seems small.
- Paying a supposed law firm or authority a fee to recover the money.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
Can my bank simply reverse a bank transfer?
Not easily. Once your bank has executed a transfer, it cannot simply undo it, and according to the Bank of Italy an instant transfer arrives in under ten seconds and is irrevocable once ordered. Funds already credited generally need the recipient's consent or a court order to come back. So call as soon as you notice the fraud: the bank may still be able to stop the money on its way.
Is it worth reporting a small amount to the police?
Yes. Reports are free in Germany and Austria, and Watchlist Internet notes that offenders are only prosecuted if a report has been filed. Switzerland's crime prevention service adds that every detail matters to investigators, and police compare reports across cantons to spot links between cases. In Germany you can ask for written confirmation of your report, for example for an insurer.
Will I get my money back if I approved the transfer myself?
It is difficult. A transfer you entered and confirmed yourself counts as authorised, even if you were deceived, so the refund rules for unauthorised payments generally do not apply. The Bank of Italy calls recovering an instant transfer sent because of a scam very difficult, if not impossible. In grey areas, such as an approval guided by a fake bank employee, individual advice is worthwhile.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- Court of Justice of the EU: Press release 31/26 (Advocate General's opinion, C-70/25) on unauthorised payment transactionsSource review date:
- European Central Bank: Instant Payments RegulationSource review date:
- Your Europe: Single emergency number 112Source review date:
- Bank of Italy (in Italian): Instant credit transfersSource review date:
- Bank of Italy (in Italian): Payment fraud and cybersecuritySource review date:
- Schweizerische Kriminalprävention (Swiss crime prevention, in German): Online-AnlagebetrugSource review date:
- Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr (France, in French): Fake bank adviser fraudSource review date:
- Watchlist Internet (Austria, in German): Advice and helpSource review date:
- Agence Europe: Bank must immediately reimburse customer for an unauthorised payment, even in cases of gross negligence (CJEU, C-70/25)Source review date:
