On January 9, 2025, a revolution awaits banking users: instant transfers will become free in all French banks. This advance promises to facilitate everyday transactions, but it is accompanied by a worrying gray area: an increased risk of fraud and irrevocability. Why can these convenient transfers become a trap?
Instant transfers: what changes in 2025 for bank transfers
With the entry into force of new European regulations, all banks in France will have to offer instant transfers free of charge. Until now, this service was paid, costing between 0.50 and 1 euro per transaction depending on the establishment. From now on, like traditional transfers, it will be accessible free of charge, to both individuals and businesses.
The main characteristics of instant transfer:
- Duration : It only takes a few seconds for the funds to be transferred.
- Availability : service available 24/7, including public holidays.
- Champ d’application : limited to transfers in euros within the European Economic Area (EEA).
This free service is part of a desire to modernize and democratize digital banking services. With the aim of making this method of money transfer a new method of payment. However, this technological advance is not without risks.
Advantages and dangers of instant transfer
The benefits have something to seduce
Instant transfers offer unprecedented speed, particularly useful for urgent situations, such as paying a bill or immediate financial assistance. For businesses, they facilitate quick transactions with suppliers or customers.
The risks are not to be taken lightly
But this speed comes at a price. Unlike traditional transfers, instant transfers are irrevocable upon validation. This means that in the event of an error in the bank details or if the transaction concerns a fraudulent account, no appeal is possible.
The Banque de France emphasizes that banks are not required to reimburse their customers in these situations, except in the event of a proven technical error on their part. According to Clément Bourgeois, expert at the Banque de France interviewed by Signal Arnaques, « the instantaneous nature of payments requires additional security. Once money is sent, it cannot be recovered. »
Fraud on the rise: the perfect target for scammers
The immediacy of instant transfer makes it particularly attractive to cybercriminals. The most common scams include:
- Bank phishing : Fraudsters pretend to be a bank advisor and demand immediate payment.
- False supplier fraud : a company is duped into thinking about paying an invoice to a usual partner.
- False sales on the Internet : individuals are encouraged to pay for a non-existent good or service.
These frauds exploit victims’ trust and urgency. Free instant transfers risk increasing their use and, consequently, their malicious exploitation.
How to protect yourself effectively while using instant transfers?
To reduce the risks associated with instant transfers, here are some simple but crucial precautions:
| Advice | Explication |
|---|---|
| Reserve these transfers for loved ones | Limit their use to bank accounts that you know and use regularly. |
| Carefully check contact details | Before validating a transfer, make sure that the account number and beneficiary name match exactly as expected. |
| Be wary of urgent requests | Scammers often play on urgency to encourage mistakes. Take the time to check each request, even if it seems urgent. |
| Enable banking notifications | Set up alerts to monitor your transactions in real time and quickly detect unusual activity. |
| Do not respond to suspicious requests | Never communicate your banking information to a third party by telephone, SMS or email, even if they claim to represent your bank. |
Comparison: Classic transfer vs instant transfer
| Criteria | Classic transfer | Instant transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Cost in 2025 | Free | Free |
| Processing time | 1 to 2 working days | A few seconds |
| Possibility of cancellation | Yes, in the first hours | Non |
| Availability | Bank opening hours | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
| Fraud risks | Moderate | Students |
Instant transfer and scams: the responsibilities of banks and regulators
Although free instant transfers represent a notable step forward, banks still need to improve the security of these transactions. Currently, they provide victims of fraud with information to support legal recourse, but their liability remains limited.
Consumer associations are calling for stricter measures, such as:
- Better identification of beneficiaries.
- Validation times for suspicious transactions.
- Insurance coverage for losses due to fraud.
While instant transfers promise to revolutionize banking transactions, their use requires increased vigilance. Faced with increasingly sophisticated scams, caution remains the best protection. Before you click “send,” take a few seconds to think: they could save you months of hassle.
