Bizum scams and how instant payments go wrong

Key rules

• Cancelling: You cannot cancel a Bizum payment once it is sent.
• Receiving money: You never have to approve or accept anything to receive a Bizum payment.
• Unauthorised payments: Tell your bank without delay and in any case within 13 months of the debit date.
• Tricked into paying: If you authorised the payment yourself, the bank is generally not obliged to refund it.

The bottom line

A Bizum payment is instant. You cannot cancel it once it is sent. Whether you get money back depends mostly on one thing: did you authorise the payment or not? Speed matters in both cases.

The scams to know

Fake buyer. You sell something on a marketplace. The "buyer" says they will pay by Bizum. Then they send you a link, ask you to "accept" a payment, or claim they sent too much and ask you to return the difference. In every version, you are the one sending money.

"I sent you money by mistake." Someone says they paid you by accident and asks you to send it back. Sometimes a real payment arrives first, from a stolen account. Do not return it yourself. Contact your bank and let it deal with the payment.

Payment request disguised as a collection. You get a Bizum request that looks like money coming in. Approving it sends money out.

Fake seller. The seller asks you to pay in advance and never sends the goods.

Impersonation. Someone pretends to be a relative or your bank, so that you authorise Bizum payments.

One rule covers most of these: you never need to approve anything to receive money by Bizum.

What recourse you really have

Bizum runs through your bank, so claims go to your bank.

• You did not authorise the payment. The bank must refund it at once, unless it has evidence of fraud or gross negligence by you. You must tell the bank without delay and in any case within 13 months of the debit date. The bank should refund by the end of the next business day unless it suspects fraud.
• You authorised it, even though you were tricked. The bank is generally not obliged to refund. It can contact the recipient's bank and may agree to a refund voluntarily. The recipient also has to agree to return the money.

Waiting weakens your claim, and the bank can argue negligence against you. New EU rules adopted in 2025 give more protection in some impersonation cases. Ask your bank what applies now.

What to do, in order

1. Call your bank's fraud line or use its app straight away, within minutes if you can. Money moves out of the recipient's account quickly, and a fast alert gives the bank a chance to freeze it.
2. File a police report (denuncia) soon after.
3. Send a formal claim to your bank's customer service department, the servicio de atención al cliente (SAC).
4. If the bank does not resolve it, take the claim to the Banco de España claims service.

The timeline below shows the same steps with their deadlines, and the warnings below list the red flags to look for.

Timeline and deadlines

• Report the fraudulent Bizum payment to your bank through its fraud line or app: immediately, within minutes if possible

• File a police report (denuncia): soon after you alert the bank

• Send a formal claim to your bank's customer service department (SAC): after the first report, once you have the facts

• If the bank does not resolve your claim, take it to the Banco de España claims service: after the bank's customer service department has answered or failed to resolve it

• Expect a refund of a payment you did not authorise, unless the bank suspects fraud: by the end of the next business day after you report it

What to watch out for

• A fake buyer asks you to approve something: A "buyer" on a selling site says they will pay by Bizum, then sends a link or asks you to accept a payment. Receiving money never needs your approval, so anything you approve sends money out. Do not approve, click or confirm anything to get paid. Stop the conversation and block the buyer.

• A payment request disguised as a collection: You get a Bizum request that looks like money coming in. Approving it sends money from your account. Read every request carefully and decline anything you did not expect.

• "I sent you money by mistake, please send it back": The scammer may pretend to overpay and ask for a refund, or may send a real payment from a stolen account and ask you to return it. You then lose your own money, and the original payment may be reversed. Do not send money back yourself. Ask your bank to handle any return of a payment you did not expect.

• A seller who wants payment in advance: A fake seller takes your Bizum payment and never sends the goods. You cannot cancel the payment once it is sent. Avoid paying in advance to people you do not know. Use a payment method that gives you protection.

• Someone pretending to be a relative or your bank: A caller or message pushes you to authorise Bizum payments in a hurry. Because you approve the payment, the bank is generally not obliged to refund it. Hang up and call your bank on the number in its app or on your card. Report it straight away if you have already paid.

• Waiting after a scam: Money can leave the recipient's account quickly, and delay weakens your claim. The bank can also argue you were careless. Report to your bank within minutes, then file a police report (denuncia) soon after.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel a Bizum payment after I send it?

No, you cannot cancel a Bizum payment once you send it, because the payment is instant. The only way to get the money back from the person who received it is if they agree to return it. If you think it was a scam, tell your bank straight away.

Will my bank refund a Bizum payment if I was tricked into sending it?

Generally no, because you approved the payment yourself, even though you were deceived. The bank can still try to contact the recipient's bank and may agree to a refund as a goodwill gesture, so it is worth asking.

Does the bank have to refund a Bizum payment I did not authorise?

Yes, the bank must refund a payment you did not authorise, unless it has evidence of fraud or gross negligence on your part. An unauthorised payment is one made without your approval, for example from a stolen account or phone. Waiting makes it easier for the bank to argue you were careless.