How to spot fake bank transfer receipts in your business
For: Repair shops, quick lubes, tire shops, parts stores and any business paid by bank transfer · Updated October 25, 2026
Short answer
A receipt is just an image: it doesn't prove the money arrived. Before handing over, check that the amount, destination account and beneficiary are yours, that the date is today and that you haven't received that receipt number before; then confirm in your bank (the app or the bank's alert email) that the transfer was credited. The one thing that can't be faked is your own bank's alert.
The 5 signs of a fake or reused receipt
- The amount doesn't match exactly what is owed, or has odd cents.
- The destination account or beneficiary isn't yours (or is cropped out of the screenshot).
- The date or time isn't today, or the screenshot is cropped right there.
- The receipt number is the same as an earlier payment: resending an old one is the most common trick.
- Fonts, alignment or colors that differ from the bank's, or a photo of a screen instead of a screenshot.
What to do before handing over
- Compare the amount with the exact balance of the order or sale.
- Check destination account, beneficiary and date.
- Look up whether you've already received that receipt number.
- Confirm in your bank that the transfer was credited: in the app or in the "transfer received" email.
- Only then record the payment and hand over.
Why the bank's alert is the real proof
An image can be edited in seconds. The alert email your bank sends when money comes in, on the other hand, comes from the bank to your inbox: if the amount and payer match the receipt, the payment is real.
Checking by hand works with a few payments a day; with many, it pays to have a system match every receipt against the bank's alerts for you.
How Sherom does it
- The customer sends the receipt photo or PDF on WhatsApp and the AI reads amount, date, banks, destination account, beneficiary and receipt number.
- It matches it against what that customer owes, checks the account is yours and catches reused receipts.
- Optional: you forward only your bank's "transfer received" alerts to Sherom and, when they match the receipt, the payment confirms itself.
- If something doesn't add up, it tells you and you confirm with a "yes" on WhatsApp or one click. Once confirmed, the payment is on the order and the customer gets the confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to share my bank password?
No. Never share your bank password with anyone. To confirm payments, the alert email your bank already sends is enough.
What if I receive a fake receipt?
Don't hand over until you see the money credited in your bank, keep the image and the conversation, and tell your bank.
Does this work for QR or wallet payments?
Yes: the same rules apply. What counts is what's credited to your account, not the screenshot.