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The short answer
Report the wrong transfer to Union Bank at once (UnionCare 07007007000, WhatsApp 09070070001 or customerservice@unionbankng.com) with the reference, amount and recipient account. Under CBN rules a transfer sent in error by the customer cannot be reversed without the recipient's consent; the receiving bank can place a lien on the funds for up to two weeks while it seeks that consent. Only errors caused by the bank itself are reversed without consent.
A mistyped digit is all it takes. Because instant transfers in Nigeria settle in seconds, a wrong transfer is not a pending payment you can cancel: the money has arrived in someone else's account. Whether you get it back depends on how fast you act and on whether the recipient agrees. This guide sets out the rules and the exact steps.
Why Union Bank cannot simply pull it back
The CBN's Regulation on Instant (Inter-Bank) Electronic Funds Transfer Services (September 2018), as summarised by Mondaq in 2025, separates two cases:
| Who made the error | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| The bank (system or staff error) | Reversed without the beneficiary's authorisation. The request should be made within 14 working days, and the reversal done within one business day. |
| The customer (wrong account number, wrong amount) | Needs the beneficiary's consent. The receiving bank can place a lien on the amount for a maximum of two weeks while it contacts the recipient. If consent is not given, the banks' internal auditors mediate, within two weeks. |
In other words, if you typed the wrong account, Union Bank's role is to raise the claim quickly with the receiving bank, which then asks its own customer to agree. The money is not taken from the recipient's account without that consent or a court order.
Steps: the first hour
- Stop and gather the details. Screenshot the transaction receipt in UnionMobile: date, time, amount, session ID or reference, and the recipient's account number, bank and the name that came up.
- Report to Union Bank immediately. Call UnionCare on 07007007000 or +234-1-2716816, then send the same details to WhatsApp 09070070001 or customerservice@unionbankng.com. Ask for a complaint reference.
- Ask Union Bank to contact the receiving bank. Request that it asks the receiving bank to place a lien on the amount while consent is sought. Speed matters: if the recipient withdraws the money first, there may be nothing left to hold.
- Do not contact the recipient through unofficial channels unless you know them. Let the banks handle it.
What happens next
The receiving bank contacts its customer. If they consent, the funds are returned to your Union Bank account. If they do not respond or refuse, the lien can only be held for the maximum period, after which the internal-audit mediation applies. If the money was withdrawn before the lien, the claim becomes a civil matter between you and the recipient, possibly involving the police if they refuse to return funds they know are not theirs.
Union Bank does not publish its own timeline for wrong-transfer claims. Keep a dated log of every call and email.
If it stalls: escalation
- Appeal inside Union Bank in writing to the Head, Customer Experience, within 30 days of an unsatisfactory outcome, as its complaints page allows.
- After two weeks without resolution, escalate to the CBN Consumer Protection Department at cpd@cbn.gov.ng, with your complaint reference and proof you first went to the bank (CBN complaint guide, January 2022).
- Consider legal advice if a large sum was withdrawn by a recipient who will not return it. This is information, not legal advice.
Our CBN complaint letter template sets out what to include.
When the wrong transfer comes to you
If money arrives in your Union Bank account that you were not expecting, do not spend it. The sender's bank may already have asked for a lien. Contact Union Bank, which can confirm the source and arrange a return with your consent. Be careful with strangers who call asking you to send it to a different account: this is a common fraud pattern, explained in our article on the wrong-transfer scam. Return funds only through the bank.
Variations on the problem
Right account, wrong amount
If you sent too much to the right person, the same consent rule applies to the excess: the recipient has to agree to return it. Usually this is a quick conversation with someone you know. If it is a business, write to them with the transaction reference and ask for a refund of the overpayment, and keep the reply.
Transfer to a fintech or microfinance wallet
Many account numbers belong to wallets at fintechs, payment service banks or microfinance banks. The CBN rules apply to all regulated institutions in the transfer chain, so Union Bank still raises the claim with the receiving institution. The receiving institution's own dispute team handles the consent request.
Transfer that failed but was debited
This is different from a wrong transfer. If the transfer did not reach anyone but your account was debited, it is a failed transaction, and the bank should reverse it. Report it with the session ID; see our Union Bank customer care guide for the channels.
Prevention
- Always read the name that appears after you enter the account number. If it does not match, stop.
- Save frequent recipients as beneficiaries in UnionMobile instead of retyping numbers.
- For large amounts, send a small test transfer first and confirm receipt.
Questions people ask
Can Union Bank reverse a wrong transfer?
Only with the recipient's consent, if the error was yours. CBN rules let the receiving bank hold the money with a lien for up to two weeks while consent is sought. Bank errors are reversed without consent.
How long does it take to reverse a wrong transfer in Nigeria?
For bank errors, the CBN rule is one business day once requested within 14 working days. For customer errors there is no fixed refund date; the lien lasts at most two weeks, followed by mediation if needed.
What if the person refuses to return my money?
After bank mediation, it becomes a civil or police matter. Keep all records and consider legal advice.
What should I do if someone sent money to my Union Bank account by mistake?
Do not spend it. Contact Union Bank and return it through the bank once it confirms the claim; do not send it to a new account a caller gives you.
Sources
- Mondaq (G. Elias): CBN rules on erroneous instant transfers (8 Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Union Bank: How can we help you? (contact and complaints) · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: How to Lodge a Complaint (CPD/GEN/GUIDE/03, 24 Jan 2022) · 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.