How to keep your money safe when you send it abroad

The riskiest moment in sending money isn't the transfer itself. It's the message that rushes you into it. Most scams work on pressure and speed, not clever hacking.

Know the common traps

A stranger asking you to send to "release" a prize or a package. A message that looks like family but pushes urgency and a new account number. A service offering rates that seem too good to question. The shape is always the same: act now, don't check, trust me.

Slow down and the trap usually falls apart.

Habits that protect you

Only send to people you actually know, and confirm new details through a separate channel, a call or a video, not the same chat that sent them. Use services that are licensed and regulated, and that ask you to verify your identity. That friction is a feature: it's the same friction that protects your money.

Guidance from the FTC is blunt about it. If someone you don't know tells you to send money fast, that's the scam.

If something feels off

Stop. A real recipient can wait ten minutes while you confirm. Keep your receipts and references, and report anything suspicious to the service right away. Our pre-send checklist bakes a few of these checks into a quick routine.