EXPATS living in Spain are being warned to watch out for a digital scam targeting users of the popular instant payment app Bizum.
The warning follows a coordinated alert from the Banco de Espana regarding a sharp rise in fraud alongside multiple reports from international residents.
Cybercriminals are actively exploiting the platform’s speed and the good intentions of unsuspecting users to drain their bank accounts.
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The scam begins when a resident receives an unexpected notification showing that a text transfer has been deposited into their account by an unknown mobile number.
Shortly after the transaction occurs, the victim is contacted by the sender via phone call or messaging application claiming that the payment was a genuine mistake.
The unknown caller then frantically pressures the recipient to quickly return the specified amount to remedy the error.
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One international resident admitted to ‘feeling puzzled’ and deeply anxious after a total stranger dropped cash into their account out of nowhere.
“Some stranger accidentally sent me a Bizum and is wanting me to send it back,” the expat explained.
“I have no problem doing that, however, I’m seeing that there is a scam where people send you a Bizum and then you send money back to them, and then they reverse their initial Bizum… so you just lose whatever funds you were returning.”
The emotional toll of the scam is intensified by aggressive, intimidating tactics used by the fraudsters to pressure their victims into making a mistake.
Expat Alena Vachtova revealed the immense pressure she faced last week when she became a target.
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‘I was also initially sorry for the person, but they started calling me from different numbers to return it, which was suspicious,’ Vachtova warned, describing the panic of being hounded across multiple phone lines before her bank, BBVA, stepped in to freeze the interaction.
Security experts and banking officials have revealed that the fraudulent scheme operates through several manipulative mechanisms.
In many instances, the scammer does not actually wait for a standard return transfer, but instead sends a direct mobile notification disguised as a refund request.
If the victim clicks to accept the incoming notification without reading the text carefully, they are actually authorizing a ‘solicitud de dinero‘ (request for money).
By confirming the prompt, the user unknowingly permits the immediate extraction of their own funds to the criminal’s account.
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Furthermore, financial authorities have warned that the initial money arriving in an expat’s account may originate from a compromised or stolen source.
If a resident manually routes a refund to a separate telephone number provided by the caller, they risk becoming an unwitting money mule to launder illicit cash.
Locals have reported severe administrative fallout from these interactions, noting that banks have summarily closed their accounts due to anti-money laundering investigations.
The Banco de Espana has stressed a fundamental rule for all mobile banking clients: receiving an authentic Bizum transaction never requires any confirmation or approval from the recipient.
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If a notification demands that a user accept or validate an incoming movement, it is highly likely to be an unauthorised payment attempt.
Residents who receive unverified or suspicious deposits are strictly advised to ignore high-pressure messages and contact their own financial institution immediately.
The central bank advises allowing the respective banking entities to officially manage any disputed or mistaken transfers between themselves.
Anyone who has fallen victim to the scam should immediately gather all text details, screenshots, and phone numbers before launching a formal report with the Policia Nacional or the Guardia Civil.
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