Sent Money by Wire to a Scammer? The 24–72 Hour Recall Playbook (US)
A bank wire feels final, but there is a short window to claw it back: call your bank for a recall and file at ic3.gov the same day, ideally within 72 hours.
Image: US $20 banknotes · Credit: 401(K) 2012 (401kcalculator.org) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Quick answer: A bank wire feels irreversible, but there is a short window to claw it back. Call your bank's fraud line immediately and ask them to issue a SWIFT recall (a request to reverse the wire), then file a complaint at the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) the same day. IC3's Recovery Asset Team can ask the receiving bank to freeze the funds if you report fast, ideally within 72 hours.
Wire and bank transfers are the payment method scammers love, because they feel final. They are not always. If you act within hours, the money may still be sitting in the receiving account, where it can be frozen and, later, returned. Speed decides everything.
What to do right now
- Call your bank's fraud department. Report the wire as fraudulent and ask them to attempt a recall or reversal (a SWIFT recall for international wires). The sending bank contacts the receiving bank to freeze and return the funds.
- File an IC3 complaint at ic3.gov. Do this the same day. Include the exact amounts, dates, account and routing numbers, the receiving bank, and any emails. IC3's Recovery Asset Team uses this to work with the receiving bank to freeze the funds.
- Contact the receiving bank. If you know where the money went, call that bank's fraud line and report it too, so they can flag the account.
- Report to the FTC. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov. It does not recover money, but it feeds enforcement.
- File a police report and keep every reference number. Banks and insurers may ask for it.
How the recovery actually works
When you file with IC3 quickly, its Recovery Asset Team can engage the receiving bank to identify and hold the funds before they are moved on or withdrawn. In 2024 the team placed monetary holds on hundreds of millions of dollars, succeeding in roughly two-thirds of the cases it acted on. Once the money is layered through more accounts, pulled out as cash, or converted to crypto, the trail goes cold. That is why the same-day rule matters more than anything a lawyer can do weeks later.
For an international wire, the FBI can trigger its International Financial Fraud Kill Chain only when the amount is $50,000 or more, the fraud is reported within 72 hours, and your bank has already issued a SWIFT recall. Below $50,000, or after 72 hours, that specific tool is not available for international wires. Domestic (US-to-US) transfers have no published minimum, so report regardless, and fast.
Do not get scammed twice
After a large wire loss, "fund recovery" firms and individuals may contact you promising to get your money back for an upfront fee. Treat these as a second scam. Legitimate recovery runs through your bank, IC3, and law enforcement, and never asks for a fee to "release" recovered funds.
Frequently asked questions
Can a wire transfer be reversed? Sometimes, if you report it fast and the money has not been withdrawn. Your bank requests a recall from the receiving bank, and IC3's Recovery Asset Team can help freeze the funds.
Who do I call first? Your bank's fraud line, immediately, to start the recall. Then file at ic3.gov the same day.
How fast must I act? Within hours. The FBI's process works best when the fraud is reported within roughly 72 hours.
Should I hire a recovery service? No. Anyone charging an upfront fee to recover a wire is almost certainly running a follow-up scam.
What details do I need? Amounts, dates, your account and the receiving account and routing numbers, the receiving bank name, and any emails or messages from the scammer.
Related: how to file an IC3 complaint, recovering money on Zelle or Cash App, and the fund-recovery "second scam".
If you have lost money to a scam, you are not alone. See our cybercrime help hub for step-by-step reporting and recovery guides.