Frequent Asked Questions
How does it work?
1. Sign Up
2. Add Recipient
3. Send Money

We accept INTERAC® e-Transfer, INTERAC® Online, Debit Card and Credit Card payments. INTERAC® Online is a payment option that allows you to pay for goods and services on the Internet directly from your bank account. It is secure and easy to use.
How does INTERAC® Online work?
Sending Money:
  1. Login to your First Transfer account.
  2. Click on “Send Money” - INTERAC® Online will be your default payment method.
  3. Enter your transfer details and click “Next”.
Making Payment:
  1. Click “Complete Transfer” – you will be directed to a list of participating financial institutions.
  2. Select the financial institution that you want to pay from.
  3. Log in to online banking.
  4. Choose an account to pay from.
  5. Confirm the payment – you will be re-directed back to First Transfer.
  6. Your payment is complete – First Transfer will now transfer funds to your recipient.
Refund Process:
If your transfer request is cancelled, your payment is automatically returned to your financial institution and will appear on your bank statement immediately.

Participating Financial Institutions:
BMO Bank of Montreal, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank, TD Canada Trust and some credit unions.

Security:
  • Your payment is completed through your financial institution.
  • Your login, password, security answer or account number is NOT shared with First Transfer.
  • Please do NOT use the service from a public device or Internet connection.
Cost:
Your financial institution may charge a fee for allowing you to use INTERAC® Online. For more information, please refer to: http://interac.ca/en/interac-online-consumer.html.
Do you need to verify my identity?
We verify the identify of all customers in order to establish a business relationship. To verify your identity, please Sign Up and send the following documents to  support@firsttransfer.com:

1. A valid Canadian drivers license or provincial ID.
2. A recent bank statement, showing your registered address and/or contact phone number.

Notes:
  • ID verification could take up to 24 hours, depending on the completeness of information provided
  • P. O. Box address is not acceptable
  • For transfers of CAD1,000 or more, we require that you update your occupation and job title in your First Transfer profile.

For more information on the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), please refer to: http://www.fintrac-canafe.gc.ca/act-loi/1-eng.asp
What is PVQ?
PVQ means Personal Verification Question. It is designed to protect your identity when signing in from a new device or resetting your password. Please do not disclose the answer to your PVQ to anyone.
How much does it cost?
We charge a transparent transfer fee, which is paid by the sender. The fee is a function of the send amount and the payment method selected. Please use the calculator to determine your transfer fee.
How does my recipient get paid?
Payment is in the local currency of your recipient's country using the locked-in exchange rate at the time of your transfer request.
Does my recipient have to visit a bank or agent to collect the money?
No, once a bank transfer is complete, we guarantee that funds are immediately available to your recipient for withdrawal. Your recipient may (or may not) receive an email or SMS credit alert from their bank. Similarly, Mobile Money and Airtime Top-ups are immediately available to your recipient.
How long does it take for my recipient to be paid?
Transfers are completed in minutes. However, you may request a no-fee refund if your transfer is not completed within 24 hours.
What if my recipient is not paid?
We guarantee that your funds have been delivered once you receive a Transfer Complete notification.  In the unlikely event that your beneficiary still doesn't receive the payment, we will initiate an investigation with our payout partners to determine the root cause and take appropriate steps to resolve the issue.
What are the supported countries, banks and mobile networks?
Nigeria (Banks):
  1. Access Bank
  2. Citibank Nigeria Limited
  3. Diamond Bank
  4. Ecobank
  5. Fidelity Bank
  6. First City Monument Bank
  7. Guaranty Bank
  8. Heritage Bank
  9. Jaiz Bank Plc
  10. Keystone Bank
  11. Skyebank
  12. Sterling Bank
  13. Union Bank
  14. United Bank For Africa
  15. Wema Bank
  16. Zenith Bank
Nigeria (Mobile Networks):
  1. Airtel (formerly Zain)
  2. Glo Mobile
  3. MTN
  4. Visafone
Indonesia (Banks):
  1. ABN AMRO Bank
  2. American Express
  3. ATM Prima
  4. Bank Aceh
  5. Bank Agris
  6. Bank Agro
  7. Bank Akita
  8. Bank Antar Daerah
  9. Bank ANZ Indonesia
  10. Bank Artha Graha
  11. Bank Artos
  12. Bank Bangkok
  13. Bank BCA Syariah
  14. Bank Bengkulu
  15. Bank BNI
  16. Bank BNP Lippo Indonesia
  17. Bank BPD Bali
  18. Bank BPD DIY
  19. Bank BPD Kal Teng
  20. Bank BPD Papua
  21. Bank BPD Riau
  22. Bank BPR EKA
  23. Bank BPR EKA
  24. BANK BPR KS
  25. BANK BPR KS
  26. Bank BRI
  27. Bank BRI Syariah
  28. Bank Buana
  29. Bank BUKOPIN
  30. Bank Bumi Arta
  31. Bank Bumi Putera
  32. Bank Capital Indonesia
  33. Bank Central Asia
  34. Bank Chinatrust Indonesia
  35. Bank Commonwealth
  36. Bank Danamon
  37. Bank DBS Indonesia
  38. Bank DKI
  39. Bank Ekonomi
  40. Bank Eksekutif
  41. Bank Ekspor Indonesia
  42. Bank Ganesha
  43. Bank Global
  44. Bank Hagakita
  45. Bank Hana
  46. Bank HARDA
  47. Bank Hongkong & Shanghai
  48. Bank IFI
  49. Bank INA
  50. Bank Index
  51. Bank International Indonesia
  52. Bank Jabar
  53. Bank Jabar Syariah
  54. Bank Jambi
  55. Bank Jasa Jakarta
  56. Bank Jasa Jakarta
  57. Bank Jatim
  58. Bank JP Morgan Chase
  59. Bank Kesejahteraan Ekonomi
  60. Bank Korea Exchange
  61. Bank Lampung
  62. Bank Lippo
  63. Bank Maluku
  64. Bank Mandiri
  65. Bank Maspion
  66. Bank Mayapada
  67. Bank Mayora
  68. Bank Mega
  69. Bank Mestika
  70. Bank Metro Ekspress
  71. Bank Mizuho Indonesia
  72. Bank Muamalat
  73. Bank Multiarta Sentosa
  74. Bank Nagari
  75. Bank National NOBU
  76. Bank NISP OCBC
  77. Bank NTB
  78. Bank NTT
  79. Bank Nusantara Parahyangan
  80. Bank OCBC Indonesia
  81. Bank Of America
  82. Bank Of China Ind
  83. Bank Of Tokyo Mitsubishi
  84. Bank Panin
  85. Bank Panin Syariah
  86. Bank Permata
  87. Bank Resona Perdania
  88. Bank Royal
  89. Bank Sahabat Sampoerna
  90. Bank SBI Indonesia
  91. Bank Sinarmas
  92. Bank Sultra
  93. Bank Sulut
  94. Bank Sumitomo Mitsui Indonesia
  95. Bank Sumut
  96. Bank Swadesi
  97. Bank Syariah Bukopin
  98. Bank Syariah Mandiri
  99. Bank Syariah Mega Indonesia
  100. Bank Tabungan Negara
  101. Bank UFJ Indonesia
  102. Bank Victoria
  103. Bank Windu
  104. Bank Woori Indonesia
  105. Bank Woori Saudara
  106. Bank Yudha Bhakti
  107. BPD Jateng
  108. BPD Kalbar
  109. BPD Kalimantan Timur
  110. BPD Kalsel
  111. BPD Sulsel
  112. BPD Sulteng
  113. BPD Sumsel
  114. BPR LSB
  115. BTPN
  116. CBC FINNET
  117. Centra Tama Nasional
  118. CIMB Niaga
  119. Citibank
  120. Deutsche Bank
  121. Hagabank Indonesia
  122. Halim
  123. Harmoni
  124. Jtrust Bank
  125. Kesawan
  126. Maybank
  127. POS Indonesia
  128. PT Bank UOB Indonesia
  129. Rabobank Indonesia
  130. Standard Chartered Bank
  131. Windu Kentjana
What is NUBAN?
NUBAN is an acronym for Nigerian Uniform Bank Account Number. It is a 10-digit Bank Account numbering system which is simpler to use than traditional longer account numbering structures and is in line with requirements of the West Africa Monetary Institute, towards the economic integration of ECOWAS countries. 

First Transfer can only deliver funds to recipients with valid NUBAN Account Numbers.

To validate your account number, please refer to: https://www.firsttransfer.com/browse/nubanValidator.

For more information, please refer to http://www.nibss-plc.com.ng/.
What is BVN?
Bank Verification Number (BVN) is a unique identification that can be verified across the Nigerian Banking Industry (not peculiar to one Bank). It includes customer biometric information.

Please ensure your recipients have updated their BVN with their respective banks.

For more information, please refer to http://www.bvn.com.ng/
Can I request a refund?
You can request a no-fee refund of your account balance or a transfer showing status as On Hold. To request a refund, please contact us through 1 (800) 650-1307 or support@firsttransfer.com. Refunds require an internal approval process and could take up to 3 days to be completed.
Can I pay with a credit card?
Yes. Credit cards are convenient and make good business sense. However, credit card is a costly form of payment for bank transfers, because remittances are treated as cash advance by card issuers, which attracts high fees and high interest rates.

To avoid these costs, you can fund your First Transfer wallet using e-Transfer, make real time payment using Interac Online or pay with Visa Debit or MasterCard Debit.
How can I check the status of a transfer?
Transfer requests are processed in priority sequence. We guarantee payment to your recipient within 24 hours. In the unlikely event that a transfer is not completed within 24 hours, the status will be set to "On Hold", and we will contact you to resolve the issue.
What information does First Transfer retain?
First Transfer is a FINTRAC registered Money Service Business, therefore we are mandated to retain and report on all interactions with our customers.

For more information, please refer to: http://www.fintrac-canafe.gc.ca/
Are my details secure?
Your user credentials and transactions are encrypted using the same technology used by banks.
What are the transaction limits?
Transaction limits are specific to individual customer profiles and transaction history. To request a change to your transfer limit, please send an email request to support@firsttransfer.com.
How can I get further assistance?
  • Call 1 (800) 650-1307 during regular business hours (8:00am - 5:00pm MST), or
  • Email support@firsttransfer.com, or
  • Send a Secure Message from your First Transfer account.

Please do not disclose your password or PVQ answer to anyone, including our support team.