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The short answer
If someone says they sent money to your account by mistake, first check your balance in your own app: often nothing has arrived and the 'alert' was fake. If money really did arrive, do not send it back to any account they name; contact your bank and ask it to handle the return through official channels. Money sent in error is not yours to keep, but returning it the wrong way can leave you out of pocket or tangled in a fraud.
How the scam works
You get a call or text from a stranger, often upset: they meant to pay a supplier or a hospital and typed your number by mistake. They may send you a 'credit alert' showing the amount. They beg you to send it back, quickly, sometimes to a different account 'because the first one has issues'. Several versions exist.
| Version | What is really happening | Result if you send money |
|---|---|---|
| Fake alert | Nothing was sent; the alert is a spoofed SMS | You lose your own money |
| Stolen money | A real credit came from a hacked account | Your account may be flagged or frozen when the theft is traced |
| Return to a different account | Real or fake credit; they want money moved to them | You become a link in moving fraud proceeds |
| Loan app trick | A small 'loan' is sent; you are then chased for repayment with high charges | You are pressured to pay for a loan you never asked for |
Step one: check whether anything arrived
- Open your banking app or dial your bank's balance code yourself. Do not use any link or number in the message.
- Look at your actual transaction history. Is there a credit, from whom, for how much?
- If there is nothing, stop. It was a fake alert. Block the number.
Our guide to spotting fake credit alerts explains why SMS alerts can be faked.
Step two: if money really did arrive
A real mistaken transfer does happen, and the money is not yours. The safe way to give it back protects both of you.
- Do not spend it, and do not move it.
- Do not send it to any account the caller names, even the one it came from, until your bank has advised you.
- Contact your bank through its official channels. Tell them about the credit and the call, and ask them to handle the reversal.
- Let the sender know politely that they should contact their own bank, which can raise a recall request with your bank.
- Keep records: the credit, the call log, any messages and your bank's reference.
Going through the banks means the return goes back down the same path, with a record. If the money was stolen, the banks can deal with it properly, and you are not the one who sent it onwards.
Why a frozen account is a real risk
When money is stolen from one account and passes through others, banks trace it. If it lands in your account and you then transfer it out, your account can look like part of the chain. Accounts in fraud chains may be restricted while banks investigate, and the CBN's draft guidelines on authorised push payment fraud include powers for settlement to be withheld on suspect transactions, including at later institutions in the chain. Leaving the money still and telling your bank keeps you clearly outside it.
Be polite, but firm
Callers in these scams are often skilled at guilt. They cry, they say a child is in hospital, they threaten to report you to the police for stealing. Stay calm. You can say: 'I understand. Please ask your bank to contact my bank, and I will cooperate fully.' A real person who made a mistake can do exactly that. A scammer cannot, and will usually stop calling.
Worked example
Example only. At 9 pm Amaka gets a call from a crying woman who says she sent ₦85,000 meant for her son's hospital bill to Amaka's account by mistake. Amaka also has an SMS alert for ₦85,000. She opens her app: there is no such credit. She ends the call and blocks the number. A month later a real ₦20,000 credit arrives from a name she does not know, followed by a call asking her to send it to 'my other account'. She refuses, calls her bank, and the bank arranges the reversal. The caller stops calling; the bank later tells her the sending account had been reported as hacked.
If you already sent money back
- If the credit was fake, you have been defrauded. Call your bank at once with the receiving account details and follow our first-hour fraud plan.
- If the credit was real but you sent it to another account, tell your bank immediately and explain exactly what happened.
- Report to the police and keep the reference. See how to report fraud.
- If it was a loan you never applied for, read loan app harassment: your rights.
Where Pryme fits
On Pryme every credit shows in the app, which is where you check. If money arrives on your Pryme account in error, or someone calls about one, contact Pryme through the app or contact rather than sending anything yourself. If you sent money in error from Pryme, contact Pryme straight away with the details.
Questions people ask
Someone sent money to my account by mistake. Can I keep it?
No. It is not yours. But do not send it back yourself to an account the caller names; ask your bank to handle the return.
Can my account be frozen because of a wrong transfer?
If the money was stolen and you move it on, your account may be investigated. Leave it untouched and inform your bank.
How do I reverse money I sent to the wrong account in Nigeria?
Contact your bank immediately with the transaction details. Your bank can raise a recall request with the receiving bank.
A loan I never applied for landed in my account. What do I do?
Do not spend it. Tell your bank, keep records, and see our guide on loan app harassment and your rights.
Sources
- CBN: Exposure draft of the Guidelines for Handling Authorised Push Payment Fraud · accessed Oct 2026
- TechCabal: Nigerian banks must refund fraud victims under new CBN framework · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: Consumer Protection, how to lodge a complaint · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) · 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.