If someone sends money to your personal IBAN account at Wickie, the transfer may sometimes need a quick extra check before it appears in your account. This is a normal security and compliance step, especially for first-time third-party senders. Here's what that check is, why it exists, and how to get through it quickly.
What counts as a third-party transfer
A third-party transfer is simply money arriving from someone other than you — a partner, a parent, a friend, a business paying you, anyone whose name is different from the name on your Wickie account.
Transfers from your own bank account in your own name usually pass straight through. It's the ones from a different name that trigger a closer look, and almost always only the first time that person sends you money.
Why the check exists
Wickie holds a licence to handle your money, and that comes with legal obligations. Financial regulations across Europe require any regulated institution to understand who is sending funds and why — not as a formality, but because incoming payments from unknown senders are the single most common route for money laundering, fraud proceeds and scam payments to enter the financial system.
There's also a direct benefit to you. A growing share of financial crime involves tricking someone into receiving and forwarding money on a stranger's behalf — a "money mule" arrangement that the receiver often doesn't realise they're part of until their account is frozen and the police are involved. The check that briefly pauses your transfer is the same check that keeps you from becoming someone else's intermediary.
So the short version: it isn't that we suspect you. It's that we're required to be able to explain every euro that enters the system, and the sender's identity is the piece we can't see on our own.
What we may ask you for
If we need more information, we'll ask for simple details — nothing exotic, and nothing you shouldn't already know:
Who the sender is — their full name as it appears on their bank account.
Your relationship to them — family, partner, friend, employer, client.
The payment purpose — a gift, a repayment, salary, an invoice you issued, a shared expense.
Where the funds came from — the origin of the money, for example salary, savings or the sale of something.
In some cases we may also ask for a supporting document: a bank statement showing the outgoing payment, an invoice, a contract, or a payslip. What's requested depends on the amount and the circumstances.
Answer in plain language. There's no correct phrasing to guess at — a one-line explanation that matches the transfer is exactly what's needed.
How to make it go faster
A few habits remove most of the friction:
Ask the sender to include a clear reference. "Birthday gift" or "Invoice 2024-11" tells us more in three words than a blank reference field does in a week of back-and-forth.
Make sure the sender's name matches what you tell us. Mismatches between the name on the transfer and the name you give are the most common reason a check takes longer.
Reply with the full answer the first time. Partial answers mean a second request, and a second waiting period.
Have a document ready for larger amounts. If you're receiving something substantial, the proof of origin will likely be asked for, so finding it in advance saves a day.
What happens once it's confirmed
The money is credited to your account, and the sender may be added to your verified list. After that, transfers from that same person generally go through without the extra check — so the effort is a one-time cost, not a recurring one.
What to avoid
Some situations will slow a transfer down significantly or cause it to be returned, and they're worth knowing in advance.
Don't accept money from someone you don't actually know, however plausible the story. If a stranger online asks to send funds to your account so you can forward them on, keep a share, or convert them to crypto, that is a money mule request — refuse it and tell us.
Don't describe a transfer as something it isn't. An inaccurate explanation is far more damaging than an unusual but honest one.
Don't expect anonymous or untraceable sources to clear. Funds we can't trace to an identifiable origin can't be credited, and that's not a policy we can make an exception to.
If you're ever unsure
If something about an incoming transfer feels wrong — an unexpected sum, a sender you don't recognise, or someone pressuring you to move money onward — don't act on it. Contact support first. We'd much rather answer a question early than unwind a problem later.
If you ever need any support, just send us email to - [email protected]
This article explains how Wickie handles incoming third-party transfers. It is general information about our process and not legal or financial advice. Specific requirements can vary depending on the transfer, the amount and the sender.