Scammed Bank Transfer: Can I Get My Money Back Australia

How it works

From chaos to a claim file in four steps

Most weak claims can be made stronger with complete, well-organised paperwork. The file is the fix.

STEP 1

Map your scam type

Identify which category your case falls into: unauthorised transaction, authorised-push scam, or mistaken payment. The rules that apply are different for each, and the bank reads your claim through that lens.

STEP 2

Gather the evidence

Work through the evidence checklist: transaction records, scammer communications, your reports to the bank and Scamwatch, assembled into a timeline the bank can actually follow.

STEP 3

File the claim properly

Use the bank complaint letter templates, written in the language of the ePayments Code, with every required element included and dated.

STEP 4

Escalate if declined

If the bank says no, the AFCA escalation guide walks you through internal dispute resolution deadlines and the AFCA complaint process, step by step. A "no" from the bank is not the end: it is the start of the appeal.

Staged demo

Start the claim file, free

Pick your scam type to see which rules apply, then work the evidence checklist. This is the skeleton of the file the navigator builds with you.

Staged demo, runs in your browser

1. Your scam type

2. Evidence checklist

Tick what you have. The file is strongest when every box is ticked.

General information only. Reimbursement decisions are at your bank's discretion under the ePayments Code; no checklist changes that. If money went overseas or through crypto mixers, recovery is unlikely: the navigator says so before you pay.

How it works

Built from the rules banks actually apply, not a blog summary

Every pack on this site is assembled the same way: the rules first, then plain-English explanation, then blank templates you fill in yourself.

Read the primary sources

The ePayments Code, AFCA's published approach to scam and unauthorised-transaction complaints, and bank internal-dispute-resolution requirements are read in full. Each rule is noted with its source.
Turn them into a plain-English workflow

The rules become a sequenced file: the evidence checklist, the timeline, the complaint letter templates in the Code's language, and the AFCA escalation steps with their deadlines.
Check it, then date the check

Every cited rule carries its source and the date it was summarised. If the Code or the AFCA approach changes, the pack is updated.

Sample preview Illustrative mock-up

[Example] Bank complaint letter template, page 1 of 3

Re: Disputed transaction of $[amount] on [date]
Dear [bank complaints team],
I am writing to dispute the above transaction under the ePayments Code. I did not authorise this payment. The transaction was initiated after [describe contact] on [date]...

Method: built against the ePayments Code (ASIC) and AFCA's published approach to scam and unauthorised-transaction complaints. This summary was written on 5 October 2026; the Code and AFCA guidance can change, so confirm the current version before relying on it. Questions: fairformco@gmail.com replies within one business day.

Straight talk

Be clear-eyed about this

What ScamReclaim does not do: no fine print, no hedging.

What this pack does

The job, stated plainly.

Explains the ePayments Code reimbursement rules in plain English
Gives you a complete, correctly-framed claim file to send your bank
Shows you the escalation path: bank IDR, then AFCA, with deadlines
Points you to Scamwatch, IDCARE, and free financial counselling

What it does not do

Boundaries are part of the product.

Not legal advice, not a law firm, not a financial counsellor
Cannot guarantee any reimbursement: outcomes are at the bank's discretion
Does not contact your bank or AFCA on your behalf
Cannot recover money already gone overseas or through crypto mixers

Free help exists

We sell the navigator. These services give actual help about your situation, free.

Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au): report the scam, keep the reference number
IDCARE (idcare.org, 1800 595 160): free identity support if documents were involved
AFCA (afca.org.au, 1800 931 678): free, independent financial complaints
National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007): free financial counselling

Illustrative example

How someone might use this

Situation: Someone realised a bank transfer they made the day before had gone to a scammer, and was not sure what to do first or what to tell the bank.
What they used: They ran the free recovery-path checker, worked the evidence checklist to assemble transaction records and the scammer's messages into a timeline, then used the complaint letter template to file the claim in the ePayments Code's language.
What happened next: When the bank declined the first complaint, they followed the AFCA escalation guide: internal dispute resolution first, then the AFCA complaint. The scenario ends there. No product can promise what the bank or AFCA decides.

This is a hypothetical scenario showing how the product is used. It is not a customer review, not a testimonial, and not a promise of results.

Pricing

One navigator. One price. No subscription.

ScamReclaim: the claim navigator

A$199

one-off · AUD, GST incl. · digital pack

ePayments Code, in plain English: what it requires of your bank
Evidence checklist and timeline tracker
Bank complaint letter templates in ePayments Code language
AFCA escalation guide with IDR deadlines

Get the navigator · A$199

A weak first complaint can cost you the claim: banks decide on the file in front of them. A$199 is the price of sending the strongest file you can, framed in the language the Code uses.

If your claim is weak, we say so before you pay.The navigator starts with a claim-strength read. If your case has no viable path under the ePayments Code, it tells you that before any payment, and suggests the free alternatives instead. If the letter templates and escalation guide are not delivered as described, email within 14 days for a full refund.

Questions

Straight answers

Asked by people who have just been scammed.

Can you guarantee I get my money back?

No, and be wary of anyone who does. Reimbursement decisions are at your bank's discretion under the ePayments Code. What ScamReclaim controls is the quality of your file: complete, correctly framed, escalated properly.

Will you contact my bank or AFCA for me?

No. ScamReclaim is a navigator, not an advocate or a law firm. You send the letters; the pack gives you the words, the evidence order, and the deadlines.

The money went overseas / through crypto. Can you help?

Honestly: probably not, and the navigator says so before you pay. Money that has left the country or passed through mixers is rarely recoverable. The free steps (bank recall attempt, Scamwatch report, IDCARE) still matter.

Why not just complain to the bank myself?

You can, and the do-first steps above are free. The navigator exists because banks decide on the file in front of them: most victims under-document, miss Code language the bank responds to, or let IDR deadlines pass. The A$199 buys the file done properly.

What is the ePayments Code?

ASIC's voluntary code covering electronic payments. Its key protection: consumers are generally not liable for unauthorised transactions if they took reasonable precautions. The navigator explains the parts that matter to victims, in plain English. It is general information, not legal advice.

I am helping a family member who was scammed. Is this for me?

Yes. The pack is built for stressed people short on time, including helpers acting on a victim's behalf. The checklists assume no prior knowledge.

What exactly do I receive, and when?

The navigator pack: the ePayments Code in plain English, the evidence checklist and timeline tracker, the bank complaint letter templates, and the AFCA escalation guide with IDR deadlines. Everything is delivered digitally: the pack is on the confirmation screen right after payment, with an order reference. If anything does not arrive, email fairformco@gmail.com with your order reference and it is sorted within one business day. One-off payment, no subscription. AUD, GST incl.

Is this really charging me?

Test mode: this site is currently in test mode. Payments run through Stripe TEST MODE and PayPal Sandbox, so no real money changes hands. When live payments are switched on, this answer will be updated.

What is the refund policy?

No change-of-mind refunds on digital products. If the letter templates and escalation guide are not delivered as described, email within 14 days for a full refund. Your Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply: if the product is not as described or does not work, you are entitled to a remedy. Full terms.

What if it does not help me?

Be clear-eyed: no navigator can guarantee a reimbursement outcome, because the decision is your bank's. What you can hold us to: if the pack is not as described or does not work, your Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply and you are entitled to a remedy. If your claim has no viable path under the ePayments Code, the navigator says so before you pay, and the free services listed on this page (Scamwatch, IDCARE, AFCA, the National Debt Helpline) are the right call.

Scam reimbursement questions, answered

Short, sourced answers to what people ask after losing money to a scam in Australia.

Scammed by bank transfer, can I get my money back in Australia?

Sometimes, but it is never guaranteed: reimbursement is at your bank's discretion. Call your bank's fraud line immediately to request a recall, then lodge a written claim with your evidence. If the bank declines, you can complain free to AFCA. Sources: the ePayments Code (ASIC) and AFCA, last verified 2026-10-05.

Your path depends on the scam type: an unauthorised transaction, an authorised push payment scam (you were tricked into sending the money) or a mistaken payment. An authorised push payment scam refund is harder ground because you authorised the payment, so the claim turns on what the bank knew or should have detected, and on prompt reporting. The free recovery-path checker at the top of this page sorts your first steps.

How do I get money back after a scam in Australia?

Act in order: contact your bank's fraud team, report to ACCC Scamwatch and ReportCyber, gather transaction records and scammer messages into a timeline, then put a written claim to your bank. If it is declined, escalate free to AFCA. Sources: ACCC Scamwatch, ReportCyber and AFCA guidance, last verified 2026-10-05.

Card payments can also go through a chargeback request with your bank. Crypto is rarely recoverable, so record every wallet address and transaction hash as evidence for your reports. Keep every reference number in one place.

What is the ePayments Code and what does it require of banks?

The ePayments Code is ASIC's voluntary code covering electronic payments. Its key protection: consumers are generally not liable for unauthorised transactions if they took reasonable precautions. For mistaken payments, it requires your bank to help you seek a return of the funds. Source: the ePayments Code (ASIC), last verified 2026-10-05.

Recovery of a mistaken payment depends on the recipient's cooperation. Authorised push payment scams are harder ground under the Code because you authorised the payment. Read the current Code text before relying on any summary, including this one.

What if my bank refused my scam refund?

A refusal is not the end: ask the bank for its decision in writing and for your complaint to be handled under its internal dispute resolution (IDR) process. If it is still declined, you can lodge a free complaint with AFCA, the independent financial complaints body. Source: AFCA, last verified 2026-10-05.

Keep every letter, reference number and date, because AFCA will want to see what the bank decided and why. If it was an insurer rather than a bank that declined your claim, the separate DenialDecoder guide to challenging an insurance claim denial covers that path.

What does ScamReclaim not do?

ScamReclaim is general information, not legal or financial advice, and it cannot guarantee any reimbursement because the decision is your bank's. It does not contact your bank or AFCA for you, and it cannot recover money already sent overseas or through crypto mixers. The navigator says so before you pay.

The A$199 one-off pack gives you the words, the evidence order and the escalation steps; you send the letters yourself. For free help with your situation, contact Scamwatch, IDCARE, AFCA or the National Debt Helpline.

Send the strongest file you can.

The ePayments Code in plain English, the evidence checklist, the timeline, the letters, the AFCA escalation path. One file, done properly.

Get the navigator · A$199 Build a claim file free

No guaranteed outcomes · IDR deadlines mapped · General information, not legal advice

Scammed? Build the strongest claim you can.

Which recovery path fits your scam?