Why was my payment refunded
If your payment shows a status of “Refunded”, it means the payment was not completed and the funds have been returned to your Send account.
This article explains what this status means, why it can happen, whether any costs may apply, and what to do next.
Need to know how to request a cancellation? See our article Cancelling a payment: timing, fees and refunds explained.
What "Refunded" means
A payment may be marked as "Refunded" when it cannot be completed and the funds are returned to Send. This can happen if the recipient’s bank, an intermediary bank or another bank involved in the payment is unable to process it.
You will see this status next to the payment in your Send account. Once the funds have been processed back to your Send account, the status will change to "Refunded".
Common reasons a payment is refunded
- Incorrect or invalid recipient bank details - for example, the account number, IBAN, BSB, or SWIFT/BIC code is wrong or no longer valid.
- Recipient name does not match the account holder's name - many banks will not accept payments where the name on the payment does not match their records.
- The recipient's bank could not accept the payment - for example, the account may be closed, dormant, or not set up to receive foreign currency.
- The recipient's bank required extra information - some banks ask for additional details before they can accept a payment.
- The currency is not supported by the recipient's account - the receiving account cannot accept the currency you sent.
- The transfer amount is over the allowable value - the payment is larger than the limit allowed for the recipient or the corridor.
- The reason for transfer is not supported - the payment reason selected is not accepted for the destination country or currency.
How long does a refunded payment take?
Refund timeframes can vary. They depend on the recipient’s bank, any intermediary banks and any other banks involved in returning the payment.
Once the funds are returned to Send, we aim to credit them back to your Send account within 1 business day.
There is no guaranteed timeframe, but we’ll do what we can to help return the funds as soon as possible.
Is there a fee for refunded payments?
Send does not charge a fee for refunded payments.
However, depending on the circumstances, the amount you receive back may not exactly match what you originally sent:
- Third-party bank fees: Recipient banks, intermediary banks and other banks involved in handling the payment may deduct their own fees. These fees are outside Send's control and may reduce the amount returned to you.
- Currency conversion (FX) impact: If your original payment involved a currency conversion, the returned funds may need to be converted back to your original currency. The exchange rate at the time of the return may be different from your original rate, so you may receive back slightly more or less than you sent.
Some third-party fees and any FX impact may only become known once the return has been processed.
What to do next
The right next step depends on why the payment was refunded.
- If you know what caused the issue (for example, an incorrect account number), you can update the recipient's details and create a new payment. See How do I add a recipient? for help.
- If you are not sure why the payment was refunded, please contact our support team.
What happens next
- You do not need to do anything, unless our support team asks you for further information.
- Once the return has been processed, your transaction status will change to "Refunded".
- The amount Refunded may be less than the amount you originally sent if third-party banks have applied their own fees.
- Contact our support team if you have not seen the funds refunded within a reasonable time, or if you have any questions.
Common questions
My payment says refunded but I'm not sure what to do.
- The reason a payment is refunded can vary.
- Please contact our support team with your payment reference, and we can help you understand the next steps.
I sent the payment to the right account, why was it refunded?
- Sometimes the account details are correct, but the recipient's bank may still be unable to accept the payment.
- This can happen if the account is dormant, closed, not set up to receive foreign currency, or if the bank needs more information.
- Check with your recipient and their bank, then contact our support team if you need more help.
Why did I receive less than what I sent?
- Third-party bank fees may have been deducted from the amount returned.
- Recipient banks, intermediary banks and other banks involved in handling the payment may charge their own fees. These fees are outside Send's control.
- Send does not charge a refund fee.
How long until my money is back?
- Refund timeframes vary depending on the banks involved.
- There is no guaranteed timeframe, but we’ll do what we can to help return the funds as soon as possible.
Can I just resend the same payment?
- You may be able to create a new payment once the issue has been resolved.
- Before trying again, check the recipient’s details with your recipient or their bank. If the payment was refunded for another reason, contact our support team so we can help with the next steps.
Contact us
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Phone: 1800 982 418
International: +61 7 5619 5700
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