Surely you are one of those who asks to pay the bill and then says “send me the money”, right? Sending money has never been easier than now thanks to applications such as the well-known Swish, a couple of taps on your phone, and voilà! The money reaches its recipient, payment made! But this convenience also has its potential risks… mistakes! Have you ever made a mistake when sending money? It is such a small and silly mistake but it can cause your money to end up in the account of a stranger, and although it may seem very difficult to recover it, we are going to tell you step by step how to handle this situation so that you do not panic and can recover your money as quickly as possible!
Step 1: Talk to the recipient
If you have mistakenly sent money to someone else, first of all, don’t worry, we are born clumsy everywhere. Second, you have to act very quickly. As soon as you realize that you have made a mistake, try to communicate directly with that person. Most likely, they will understand the misunderstanding and return the money to you as soon as possible.
How do I talk to the recipient? It is important that you be respectful, tell them how much was transferred, when you made the transaction and how you made a mistake. Here is an example that may help you:
“Hi, my name is [name]. I mistakenly transferred [amount] to your account on [date]. Could you help me return it? I would be very grateful for your understanding.”
Step 2: Contact your bank
The recipient may not respond (or may not want to return the money), so the next step after that is to contact the bank. Banks usually have protocols in place to handle these situations and can help you track the transaction, but only with the recipient’s consent can they reverse the transfer. But if you don’t cooperate, the bank is limited by law and won’t be able to act without your authorization.
You’ll need the following documentation before contacting your bank: proof of the transaction and recipient’s phone number.
Step Three: File a Complaint in Writing
If you are unable to resolve the issue directly, you may choose to send a formal complaint to the recipient. This document should include detailed information (the amount, the date of the transfer) and add a reasonable deadline for the money to be returned.
By doing this, you will be showing the recipient that you are taking serious steps to recover their money, and it may motivate the recipient to cooperate without going too far. It is important that you keep a copy of the document for possible legal action.
Last step: turn to the authorities
In case none of the above has helped you recover your money, you can turn to the authorities and request a payment order. This step involves the agency formally notifying the recipient of the debt and giving them a chance to respond. While this step can be effective, it also involves additional costs and time, so only request this if the amounts are large and it is worth spending money to recover them.
Don’t judge yourself if you’ve made a mistake, it’s happened to almost all of us. The important thing is that you don’t lose your cool and act quickly and politely, normally the recipients understand that the money is not theirs and that they must return it. But, do check the next time you make a transfer that all the details are correct! The important thing is to recover the money and learn from the mistake!