Bizum Scam Alert: Reverse Bizum Fraud and Mistaken Transfers in Spain

In recent years, Bizum has become one of the more popular ways to send and receive money, and millions in Spain already use it. It’s become the go-to for quick transfers between friends, payments for items, sending birthday gifts, paying utilities, and requests for small amounts. This rise in popularity has also attracted a wave of scams. One of the most reported is the so-called reverse Bizum scam. Another is the mistaken transfer scam that tries to trick people to return money they never actually received.

The reverse Bizum scam is simple in its design yet highly effective. A fraudster pretends to be a buyer of a second hand product and says he has already sent the money. He may even provide a screenshot of the alleged transfer. The fraudster never actually sends the money, he just issues a Bizum request that asks the victim to authorise a payment. The victim believes he is just accepting the payment, but he then transfers his own money directly to the scammer. Since Bizum transfers are instant and irreversible once authorised, the money disappears immediately.

Another common fraud is the mistaken Bizum transfer scam. In this case, a victim receives a small amount of money in his account. A few minutes later, he receives a WhatsApp message that says the money was sent by mistake and could they please return it. Many people want to be honest and send it back through Bizum. The danger is that the original payment to the victim’s account may have been made with stolen bank details. When the bank discovers the fraud, it cancels the initial transfer. The refund sent by the victim is lost forever because it was a new and voluntary payment.

Scammers use tricks to make their stories sound convincing. They often send urgent messages, and claims that they typed one digit wrong, or insist that they are in a rush. Fake screenshots of Bizum payments are widespread and look real to the untrained eye.
How do you check if a Bizum transfer is genuine? You must check it directly in your Bizum app. If the balance does not change, then no transfer to you has been made.

Banks like Santander, BBVA and CaixaBank have sent messages to their clients regarding these scams. The Policía Nacional has also arrested people linked to organised groups that specialise in Bizum fraud. Despite these efforts, many new cases appear every week. The scam is often present on second hand sales platforms where buyers and sellers arrange deals.

What should you do if someone says they sent you a Bizum transfer by mistake? The safest response is to tell them to contact their bank. If it is a genuine error, the bank will contact you through the official channel and then manage the reversal securely. To ‘return’ money directly to a stranger always presents a risk.

What happens if I keep Bizum money that was genuinely sent to me in error? Spanish courts have ruled that if you keep money sent in error, it can lead to charges of misappropriation. Therefore, you should always report the issue to the bank involved.

With Bizum, the key is to understand the difference between a transfer and a request. Reject any request from someone you do not know, and check your banking app rather than believing screenshots or messages. Like this, you won’t fall victim to the reverse Bizum scam or mistaken transfer fraud.