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The short answer
A UBA transfer sent to the wrong account cannot be pulled back by UBA alone: UBA must ask the recipient's bank, and that bank can return the money only if it is still there and, usually, the account holder consents or a legal order applies. Report it at once to UBA's Customer Fulfilment Centre (0700 2255 822, cfc@ubagroup.com) with the receipt and session ID. If it is not resolved after two weeks, you can escalate to the CBN's Consumer Protection Department.
Why speed matters
Interbank transfers in Nigeria settle in seconds. Once the money is in another person's account, it belongs to that account until something moves it back. If the recipient spends or withdraws it, there may be nothing left to return. Reporting within minutes, not days, is the single biggest factor in getting money back.
Steps
- Screenshot or download the transaction receipt, including the session ID (the long reference on interbank transfers), date, time, amount and the recipient name shown.
- Contact UBA immediately: 0700 2255 822 (0700-CALL-UBA), 02-012807000 or 02-012808822, or email cfc@ubagroup.com from your registered email. Say clearly that it is a wrong-beneficiary transfer and ask for a recall request to the recipient bank.
- Put it in writing. Even if you phoned, send an email with the receipt, the account you intended to pay and the wrong account details, and ask for a complaint reference number.
- Sign what UBA asks. UBA may ask you to sign an indemnity confirming the transfer was a mistake, which protects the recipient bank if it debits its customer on your behalf.
- Follow up on the reference after a few working days and keep notes of every contact.
- If the recipient is reachable and honest, ask them politely to send the money back. Do not threaten them, and never pay a "processing fee" to anyone offering to help.
What happens at the recipient's bank
When UBA sends the recall, the recipient bank checks the account. It can usually place a hold if the funds are still there, and then contact its customer. What happens next depends on the case:
| Situation | Likely outcome |
|---|---|
| Funds still in the account, recipient agrees | Money returned to your UBA account once both banks process it |
| Funds still there, recipient refuses or cannot be reached | Bank may keep a hold for a while but generally needs consent or a court order to debit |
| Funds already withdrawn or moved | Little the banks can do; civil or police action may be the only route |
| Both accounts at UBA | UBA handles both sides, which can be faster, but the same consent rules apply |
No published UBA page we checked in October 2026 sets a guaranteed timeline for wrong-beneficiary recalls, and UBA's September 2026 tariff does not list a recall fee. Ask UBA for the expected timeline when you report.
Escalating
If UBA does not resolve the complaint, the CBN's Consumer Protection Department is the next step. The CBN's complaints page says to complain first to the bank, allow two weeks, and then write to the Director, Consumer Protection Department, at CBN Head Office in Abuja or any CBN branch. Include your name, address, phone and email, the bank, your account details (never your PIN or password), the date and history of the transaction, the amount, supporting documents and proof you first reported it to UBA. See also UBA complaint escalation and how to complain about a bank in Nigeria.
If you are the one who received money by mistake
Do not spend it. Call your own bank and say you received a payment you do not recognise; they will handle the return. Be wary of strangers who call claiming they sent money "by mistake" and ask you to transfer it to a different account. That is a known scam, explained in the wrong transfer scam. The safe route is always back through the banks, never to a new account someone names.
How to avoid it next time
- Check the name the app shows before you confirm, not just the number.
- Save regular recipients as beneficiaries.
- For large amounts, send a small test first.
- Do not copy account numbers from screenshots without checking each digit.
What to write in your complaint
A clear complaint is handled faster. A short email to cfc@ubagroup.com can follow this outline:
- Subject: Wrong beneficiary transfer, recall request, with the date and amount.
- Your full name, UBA account number and registered phone number.
- The transaction date and time, amount, session ID and the recipient bank and account number.
- The account you meant to pay, with its name.
- A clear request: that UBA contact the recipient bank to place a hold and return the funds.
- Attachments: the receipt screenshot and any message from the recipient.
Do not include your PIN, password or OTP, and keep the auto-reply or reference number. If you go to the CBN later, this email is your proof that you reported to the bank first.
If the money went to a fraudster rather than a mistyped account, say so plainly. Fraud cases go to UBA's fraud desk on 02-012808800 as well as the contact centre, and you should also report to the police; the bank can act faster on a fraud report backed by a police extract.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme shows the recipient's name before you approve a transfer, and a Personal Assistant prepares payments for your approval rather than sending them, which leaves a moment to catch a wrong number.
Questions people ask
Can UBA reverse a wrong transfer?
UBA can send a recall request to the recipient's bank, but the money is returned only if it is still in the account and, usually, the recipient consents or a court order applies. Report immediately to 0700 2255 822 or cfc@ubagroup.com.
How long does UBA take to reverse a wrong transfer?
UBA does not publish a fixed timeline for wrong-beneficiary recalls. Cases where the money is still there and the recipient agrees tend to resolve fastest. If unresolved after two weeks, you can escalate to the CBN Consumer Protection Department.
What is an indemnity for a wrong transfer?
A signed statement from you confirming the transfer was a mistake, which protects the recipient's bank if it debits its customer to return the money.
What if the person refuses to return money sent by mistake?
The bank generally cannot debit the account without consent or a legal order. You may need to report to the police or seek legal advice. This is information, not legal advice.
Sources
- UBA Nigeria: Contact us · accessed Oct 2026
- Central Bank of Nigeria: Complaints management (Consumer Protection) · accessed Oct 2026
- UBA: Service Charges and Rates (PDF, September 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.