I sent a payment with the wrong recipient details. What should I do?

Things to know before you read on

Send Payments Limited is an independent money remitter and holds Australian Financial Services Licence No. 509635. We provide foreign exchange and remittance services only.
This article is general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances. Please read our Financial Services Guide (FSG) and Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before deciding whether our services are right for you.
Once a payment has left Send, recovery of the funds cannot be guaranteed. Recovery depends on the receiving bank, any other banks involved, and the recipient.
The terms that apply to your account, including how cancelled or recalled payments and any related costs are handled, are set out in our PDS and Terms and Conditions.

Before you start

Have these details ready before you call us. They help our team find your payment and act quickly:

Payment reference or transaction ID
Date of the payment
Amount and currency sent
Recipient name (as entered when you booked the payment)

What you need to do.

The process is simple: get in touch with our support team and we will guide you through what happens next. Whether your payment can still be stopped, or needs to be recalled, our team will explain the available options for your specific payment.

Step 1: Call our Customer Support team straight away

Phone is the fastest way to reach a real person on our team and give your payment the best chance of being stopped.

Phone (Australia): 1800 982 418
International: +61 7 5619 5700
Hours: 8:30am - 5:30pm AEST/AEDT, Monday - Friday

If you cannot call, email info@sendpayments.com, but please be aware this may take longer to action.

Step 2: Tell us exactly what went wrong

Let our team know which type of mistake was made. The process can be different for each:

Wrong name only (for example, a typo in the recipient's name, but the BSB, account number or IBAN is correct).
Wrong account or banking details (for example, an incorrect BSB, account number, IBAN or SWIFT/BIC). The funds may have gone to a real account belonging to someone else.
Wrong recipient selected entirely (you sent the payment to a different saved recipient by mistake).

Step 3: We will guide you through what happens next

Our support team will check the status of your payment and explain the options available. Depending on whether the payment is still being processed or has already been released, this may involve cancelling the payment or starting a recall request on your behalf.

What happens next

If your payment can still be stopped

Whether a payment can still be stopped depends on the status of the payment and how far processing has progressed. Contact Send support immediately so the team can check the options available for your payment. For more detail on cancellation timing, fees and refunds, see Cancelling a payment: timing, fees and refunds explained.

If your payment has already been sent (recall)

If the payment has already been released, our support team will discuss the available options with you. In some cases, we may be able to lodge a recall request on your behalf to ask for the funds to be returned.

Recalls are only possible for international (SWIFT) payments. Local or regular domestic payments cannot be recalled. If your payment was sent locally, our team will explain what other options may be available.

How a recall works

You ask Send support to lodge a recall request.
Send sends the recall request through our banking partner to the recipient's bank.
The recipient's bank decides whether the funds can be returned. We cannot make that decision for them.
If the funds are returned, we will let you know.

Recall timeframes

Recall requests are handled on a best endeavours basis. This means we cannot guarantee that the funds will be returned, and we cannot guarantee a timeframe. The outcome depends on the response and cooperation of the recipient's bank, any intermediary or correspondent banks, and our banking partners. Recalls can take time, and in some cases the funds may not be returned at all.

Is there a fee for a recall?

Send does not charge a fee for lodging a recall request. However, depending on the circumstances, some costs may still apply:

Third-party bank fees: Recipient banks, intermediary banks, correspondent banks and other banks involved in handling the recall may charge their own fees, which are passed on to you. The exact amount is set by the third party and is not controlled by Send. For payments that have already been sent, third-party bank fees may affect the amount returned.

Some third-party fees are set outside Send's control and may only become known once the return is processed.

If the funds are returned

If the funds are returned, Send will contact you to confirm the outcome and let you know where the returned amount has been credited. You do not need to do anything else in the meantime. The amount returned may be less than the amount you originally sent if third-party banks have applied their own fees. For more detail on what to expect when a payment comes back, see Why was my payment returned?

What may delay the process

The receiving bank's response time (this is outside Send's control).
Whether the unintended recipient agrees to return the funds.
Public holidays or weekends in either country.
Incomplete details when you first contact us.

Common questions

I made a small typo in the recipient's name but the account number is correct.

Why this happens: Many banks match payments using the account number or IBAN. The payment may still arrive successfully, but some banks will reject a payment if the name does not match.
What to do next: Call Send support so we can review the payment with you and let you know what to expect.

I sent money to the wrong account number.

Why this happens: A digit was entered incorrectly, or the wrong details were saved against a recipient.
What to do next: Call Send support immediately. The team will check the status of your payment and explain the options available, including a recall if the payment was sent internationally.

I sent money to the wrong saved recipient.

Why this happens: The wrong recipient was selected at the payment screen.
What to do next: Call Send support straight away. We will check the status of the payment and advise on next steps.

Can I cancel my payment myself if it is still pending?

Why this happens: Whether a payment can still be stopped depends on the status of the payment and how far processing has progressed.
What to do next: If your payment is pending and you need urgent help, contact Send support immediately so the team can check available options.

My payment was sent locally - can it be recalled?

Why this happens: Recalls are only possible for international (SWIFT) payments. Local or regular domestic payments cannot be recalled.
What to do next: Call Send support. The team will let you know what other options may be available.

How long will the recall take?

Why this happens: Recalls rely on the response and cooperation of the recipient's bank and any other banks involved, which Send does not control.
What to do next: Recalls are handled on a best endeavours basis. There is no guaranteed timeframe and no guaranteed return. Our support team will keep you informed.

Will I get the full amount back?

Why this happens: Banks involved in returning the payment may take their own fees, which are outside Send's control.
What to do next: Be aware that the amount returned may be less than the amount you originally sent. Send does not charge a fee for lodging a recall request. Our support team can explain any deductions when the funds come back.

It has been a while and the funds have not come back.

Why this happens: Recall and return timeframes depend on the receiving bank and any other banks involved.
What to do next: Contact our support team for an update. Have your payment reference ready.

Contact us

Call Us

Phone: 1800 982 418
International: +61 7 5619 5700
Hours: 8:30am - 5:30pm AEST/AEDT, Monday - Friday

Email Us

info@sendpayments.com