This has turned into a frustrating game of he said, she said. My client insists they’ve paid, forwarding all these screenshots, but my bank claims no funds have arrived.
I’ve reached out to my bank, but they keep saying nothing was processed. Meanwhile, my client feels accused. This situation is draining, and I really need that payment to tide me over.
Get the transaction reference number or receipt from your client. Call your bank with that reference number.
If the payment went through, your bank can track it down. You’ll have real proof instead of just screenshots.
Get the wire transfer receipt from your client’s bank - not screenshots of their account. The receipt shows exactly where the money went and when it was sent. No receipt? The payment probably never left their account.
Banks don’t lose money, but people mess up account numbers constantly. This happens way more than you’d expect.
With that receipt, your bank can trace everything in minutes instead of wasting days on email chains.
Bank transfers sometimes take a few days. Double-check they sent it to the right account number.
Had this before. Usually wrong account number or routing info.
Same thing happened to me last year. My client sent payment to an old account number from a previous invoice.
Get them to screenshot the bank transfer confirmation page - not just their balance. The confirmation shows your business name and account details.
If everything matches what you gave them, grab that reference number and have your bank track it down. But honestly, it’s usually just mixed up account info.
Have your client call the bank and get proof the payment actually left their account. Real transaction records, not screenshots.
If they can’t get that proof, the money probably never left. Banks screw up, but they don’t lose wire transfers.
Ask them for the actual transfer receipt from their bank branch, not phone screenshots.
This limbo sucks. Here’s what worked when I got stuck in the same mess:
Get these from your client:
Take that info to your bank. Go in person if possible - tellers dig deeper than phone support.
Usually it’s a typo in the account number or they sent it to an old account. Sometimes payments get held for compliance reasons and your bank doesn’t bother telling you.
No confirmation number from your client? The money probably never left their account.