What to Do If Someone Asks You to Transfer Money Overseas

If someone asks you to transfer money overseas, do not send it straight away. First, confirm who is asking, why the money needs to be sent, who will receive it, and whether the payment details are genuine. If anything is unclear or difficult to verify, stop and check before proceeding.

International transfers are common for Australians helping family, paying suppliers, or covering overseas expenses. The risk increases when you are asked to act urgently, use your account as an intermediary, or rely on payment details you have not independently confirmed.

Verify the Request Before You Send Money

First, verify the person, purpose, and recipient independently.

Do not rely only on the email, text, social media account or phone number used to make the request. Scammers can impersonate people or gain access to genuine accounts. Australian cyber security guidance recommends confirming requests involving money through a trusted contact method, such as a phone number you already know.

Check:

• ● who the final recipient is
• ● why the payment is needed
• ● why you are being asked to send it
• ● how much is being transferred
• ● which country it is going to
• ● whether the recipient details match the explanation

If a Friend or Family Member Asks

Contact them directly, especially if the request is unexpected or urgent. If they say they are overseas and need emergency money, call them or another family member using contact details you already have.

Urgency should never replace verification.

If a Business Contact Asks

Verify new or changed bank details separately. If a supplier emails new overseas account details, call a known contact at the business before paying. Genuine-looking invoices can be altered if an email account has been compromised.

If a Stranger Asks

Be especially cautious. If someone you only know online asks you to send money, receive funds into your account, forward money, buy cryptocurrency or pay another person, do not proceed unless you can clearly verify the arrangement.

Know the Warning Signs

Unexpected pressure, secrecy, or unusual payment instructions are reasons to check a transfer more carefully before sending it.

Be cautious if someone:

• ● pressures you to send money immediately
• ● asks you to keep the transfer secret
• ● wants you to receive money and forward it overseas
• ● offers a commission for moving funds
• ● changes payment details unexpectedly
• ● asks you to pay an unrelated person or account
• ● avoids basic questions about the recipient or purpose

Do Not Forward Someone Else's Unexplained Money

If someone sends money into your Australian bank account and asks you to forward it overseas, stop and find out why.

This can be a money-mule arrangement. Scamwatch warns that criminals may use other people's accounts to transfer money connected with criminal activity. These approaches may appear as job offers, online relationships, business opportunities or requests to "help" someone transfer money.

If the money is not yours and you cannot clearly verify where it came from and why it is being sent, do not forward it. Contact your bank or transfer provider for guidance.

Check the Recipient Details Carefully

Before confirming an international transfer, compare the payment information with details you have independently verified.

Depending on the country and payment method, you may need the recipient's:

• ● full name
• ● bank or financial institution name
• ● account number or IBAN
• ● SWIFT/BIC or another routing code
• ● address
• ● destination country
• ● payment reference

A typing error can cause problems, but accurate-looking details can also be fraudulent if they came from a compromised message. Both accuracy and independent verification matter.

Use a Trusted Money Transfer Provider

Once you are satisfied that the request is genuine, use a reputable provider and review the full transfer before authorising it.

For Australians using a non-bank remittance provider, AUSTRAC maintains a Remittance Sector Register where you can check whether a provider is registered. Registration does not replace checking the recipient, but it is a useful basic step.

Before sending, review:

• ● the exchange rate
• ● transfer fees
• ● the amount the recipient should receive
• ● estimated delivery time
• ● available customer support

A legitimate provider may also ask you to verify your identity or provide information about the transfer as part of its regulatory obligations. AUSTRAC notes that registered remittance businesses carry out customer identification checks.

Once you have verified the recipient and purpose, Remit5 can help you complete the payment through a clear transfer process and review the key details before confirmation.

What If You Have Already Sent the Money?

If you think you may have sent money because of a scam or incorrect request, contact your bank or money transfer provider immediately.

Ask whether the transfer can be stopped, recalled or investigated. Recovery is not guaranteed and depends on factors such as timing, transfer method, and whether the recipient has already accessed the funds.

Scamwatch advises people who believe they have been scammed to contact their financial institution promptly. If passwords, account access or personal information may have been compromised, secure those accounts as well.

Keep messages, receipts, recipient details and transaction references in case they are needed later.

FAQs About Sending Money Overseas for Someone Else

Is it safe to transfer money overseas for someone else?

It can be, if you know who is asking, understand the purpose and have independently verified the recipient. Do not send money when you are simply being used as an intermediary or cannot explain where the funds came from.

What should I check before an international money transfer?

Confirm the requester's identity, reason for payment, final recipient, amount, destination country and bank details. Verify important information using a trusted contact method rather than relying only on the original message.

Why would someone ask me to receive money and send it overseas?

There may be a legitimate reason, but it is also a common feature of money-mule scams. If funds arrive in your account and you are asked to forward them, verify the source and purpose before doing anything.

Can an international money transfer be reversed?

Sometimes, but not always. Contact the bank or transfer provider immediately. Once a transfer has been completed and the recipient has received the funds, recovery may be difficult.

Why does a money transfer provider ask for identification?

Australian remittance providers may need to identify and verify customers as part of their regulatory obligations. Appropriate identity checks are normal when using a regulated transfer service.

How can I check whether an Australian remittance provider is registered?

AUSTRAC publishes the Remittance Sector Register. You can search a provider by legal name, trading name or relevant business number.

Practical Summary

If someone asks you to transfer money overseas, verify first and send second. Confirm who made the request, understand why the payment is needed, check the final recipient independently, and make sure you are not being asked to move unexplained funds for someone else.

When the transfer is legitimate, review the exchange rate, fees, recipient details and delivery information before confirming it. Use a trusted money transfer provider and keep your transaction records.

A few extra minutes spent checking the request can prevent a much bigger problem later. Verify the details, use a trusted provider, and only send when you are comfortable that the transfer is genuine.