This page describes a real fraud type affecting SWIFT wire transfer users. If you believe you have been targeted, do not send money and contact your bank immediately. Verify any SWIFT payment free using the UETR tracker at the bottom of this page.
Fake SWIFT Payment Confirmation Portals
A growing form of SWIFT fraud involves fake online banking portals or tracking websites that display convincing "payment confirmed" screens. A fraudster creates a lookalike website (sometimes a spoofed copy of a real bank's online portal, sometimes a completely invented "SWIFT tracking" site) and sends the victim a link, claiming it shows proof the payment has been made. In reality, the site is entirely under the fraudster's control and shows whatever they programme it to show.
How This Fraud Works
The fraudster registers a domain that looks like a real bank (e.g. barclays-payments.co, bnp-swift.net) or a SWIFT tracking service.
They design a convincing interface — often a direct copy of the real bank's website — showing a "completed" payment with the victim's name and a large amount.
They send the victim a link to this fake site, saying "you can verify the payment here".
The victim sees a professional-looking confirmation and ships goods, pays a fee, or takes another irreversible action.
The funds never appear in the real bank account.
Red Flags — Warning Signs
The "tracking" link takes you to a website you've never heard of, with a domain that slightly differs from the bank's official site.
The website has poor HTTPS (no padlock, or padlock with a generic certificate) or the URL looks wrong.
The site is only reachable via the link the fraudster sent — it doesn't appear in Google search.
The "payment reference" on the site cannot be verified on Ohmyfin.
The site asks you to log in or pay a small fee to "release" the funds.
The only "proof" offered is a link or screenshot — never a UETR verifiable on a neutral third-party system.
How to Verify Before Acting
Ignore the link the fraudster provides entirely. Instead, go directly to the bank's official website (type the address yourself or use your saved bookmark).
Take the UETR from the confirmation screen and paste it into Ohmyfin — a real SWIFT payment will be verifiable there regardless of which "portal" the fraudster shows you.
Contact your own bank (using only contact details from the bank's official website) and ask them to confirm receipt.
Use Ohmyfin's SWIFT code directory to verify the BIC on the document matches the bank in question.
What To Do If You Are Targeted
Do not act on the basis of any payment shown on a website linked by the payer — only trust your own bank statement.
Verify the UETR on Ohmyfin independently.
Report the fake website to the genuine bank it is impersonating (they have fraud teams).
Report to the national fraud authority and to the domain registrar to get the site taken down.
Verify Any SWIFT Payment — Free in 30 Seconds
Paste the 36-character UETR from any MT103 or payment confirmation. If the payment is real, Ohmyfin shows the live SWIFT GPI status. If it's fake, it shows "not found". Free for individuals.
How can I tell if a SWIFT tracking website is fake?
The most reliable test: take the UETR from the site and paste it into ohmyfin.org. If the payment is real, Ohmyfin will show a matching status. If Ohmyfin shows "not found" or a different amount, the tracking site is fake. Also check the URL carefully — real banks do not verify payments on third-party domains.
Can a fake website show a real-looking UETR?
Yes. Fraudsters can generate UETRs that look like the genuine format (8-4-4-4-12 hexadecimal) but correspond to no real payment. Only querying SWIFT GPI directly — as Ohmyfin does — can verify whether a UETR corresponds to a genuine transaction.
Is there a free way to verify any SWIFT payment independently?
Yes. Ohmyfin queries SWIFT GPI and major correspondent bank portals directly, for free. Paste the UETR at ohmyfin.org — no login, no signup, no charge for individuals.