Absa CashSend USSD Code

Last checked: 25 June 2026

The Absa Cash Send USSD code is *120*2272#. Dial it from the cellphone number registered for Absa Cellphone Banking, enter your 5-digit Cellphone Banking PIN, then follow the CashSend menu to send money to someone’s cellphone number. Absa’s help pages give the flow as dial *120*2272# → enter your 5-digit PIN → select 5 → select Send Cash → enter the recipient and amount → create the 6-digit access code → confirm. (Absa)

Never share your Absa banking PIN, app passcode, card PIN, OTP, transaction verification code, CVV, online banking password, or full card details. The only code the recipient needs is the CashSend withdrawal access code you created for that transaction.

Quick Answer and Code/Menu Path

To send money with Absa CashSend over USSD, dial *120*2272# and follow the prompts. Absa says customers do not need airtime to bank through Absa Cellphone Banking, though you should still read the live menu, because menus, fees, limits and wording all change. (Absa)

The current menu path is:

1. Dial *120*2272#.
2. Enter your 5-digit Absa Cellphone Banking PIN.
3. Select 5 to proceed.
4. Select Send Cash.
5. Choose a new or existing beneficiary.
6. Enter the recipient’s cellphone number.
7. Enter the recipient’s name.
8. Select the account to debit.
9. Enter the amount.
10. Create the 6-digit access code the recipient will use at an Absa ATM.
11. Confirm only once every detail checks out. (Absa)

The confirmation screen is where this transaction is won or lost. Read the recipient’s number digit by digit, check the amount, and make sure the 6-digit access code is the one you meant. Anything wrong, cancel and start again.

How to Send Money or Withdraw Cash

Requirements

You need an Absa account linked to Cellphone Banking, the registered cellphone number, your 5-digit PIN, the recipient’s correct number, and enough in the account for the amount plus any fee. (See the send-money hub for other banks.)

The receiver does not need to be an Absa customer to collect at an Absa ATM, but they do need the right withdrawal details. Absa states that a CashSend withdrawal takes a 10-digit withdrawal code and a 6-digit access code. (Absa)

Sending it

Dial *120*2272# from your registered number. Enter the PIN only if this is the Absa menu you opened yourself.

Choose CashSend and follow the prompts. When adding a new recipient, type the number carefully: a wrong digit sends the withdrawal notification to a stranger, and that is difficult to undo.

Enter the name, pick the account, enter the amount, then create the 6-digit access code. Avoid anything guessable: not 123456, not repeated digits, not your birth date, not the recipient’s, and not part of the phone number.

Before confirming, stop and check:

• the recipient’s cellphone number;
• the recipient’s name;
• the amount;
• the account being debited;
• the fee, if one is shown;
• the 6-digit access code;
• any limit or expiry message on screen.

Once it goes through, the recipient gets the withdrawal information by SMS, and you pass them the 6-digit access code through a private channel. Not in a group chat.

Withdrawing it at an ATM

The recipient goes to an Absa ATM and chooses the cardless or CashSend withdrawal option. Absa’s ChatWallet FAQ says the withdrawal needs the 10-digit withdrawal code and the 6-digit access code. (Absa)

They should accept no help from strangers at the machine. Anyone asking to see the SMS, asking for the access code, or claiming the ATM is “blocked” but they can fix it, is running a scam. Cancel and use another ATM.

A safe withdrawal runs:

1. Go to an Absa ATM.
2. Choose cardless banking or CashSend withdrawal.
3. Enter the 10-digit withdrawal number from the SMS.
4. Enter the 6-digit access code from the sender.
5. Confirm the amount.
6. Take the cash and the receipt, and leave promptly.

If it fails, do not stand there retrying in public. Check the details with the sender and use Absa’s official support if it continues.

Fees, Limits, Expiry, and Reversal Notes

Absa CashSend limits depend on the channel. Absa’s cellphone banking help guide gives CashSend cellphone banking a minimum of R50 and a maximum of R500 per day. The CashSend product page also states a R500 daily limit and R3,000 monthly limit. Treat these as channel-specific and check the live screen before confirming. (Absa)

Absa states CashSend transactions are available for 30 days only. If the recipient has not withdrawn, do not leave a problem until the last day to investigate. (Absa)

Fees shift by account type and pricing year. Absa publishes updated brochures on its rates and fees page, so check the current pricing or the fee on your own transaction screen. (Absa)

Can Absa CashSend be cancelled or reversed?

Do not assume so. Whether you can cancel depends on whether the cash has been withdrawn, which channel you used, and the bank’s current rules.

Act fast on a mistake. Keep the date, amount, recipient number, reference or withdrawal number, screenshots, and every SMS. Then check the status through Absa’s official channels.

If you sent money to the wrong number, do not send more money to “fix” it, and do not share your PIN or OTP with anyone offering to reverse it for you. Both are how a mistake becomes a loss.

What happens if the CashSend expires?

Absa states CashSend transactions are available for 30 days only. If a voucher or withdrawal code expires, check the next step with Absa directly, because handling depends on the transaction status and channel. (Absa)

For a dedicated path, use retrieve cash voucher USSD code or Absa CashSend not received.

Safety Checks Before You Confirm

You are sending cash access to a phone number, so a small slip gets expensive quickly.

Check you opened the session yourself by dialling *120*2272#. Never follow a link from an SMS or WhatsApp claiming to open a CashSend or banking page. Absa warns customers not to click links in SMSes claiming to be from Absa, and says the bank will never ask for a PIN, password, passcode, transaction verification, or card CVV. (Absa)

Be equally wary of a phone call claiming to be the bank, the fraud department, the police, a courier, or marketplace support. Absa’s vishing guidance repeats that it will never ask for your PIN, password, passcode, transaction verification, or CVV, and warns that fraudsters use calls to pressure people into handing over private information. (Absa)

Run these checks every time:

• Confirm the recipient’s number from a trusted source.
• Check the amount before you select confirm.
• Do not send money while anyone is rushing or threatening you.
• Do not share your banking PIN, OTP, app passcode, card PIN, password, or CVV.
• Do not send a CashSend to yourself because a caller told you to.
• Do not give the 10-digit withdrawal number and 6-digit access code to a stranger.
• Do not let anyone at an ATM “help” with the withdrawal.
• Stop if the menu looks unfamiliar or asks for anything unusual.

Suspect fraud? Absa lists its fraud hotline as 0860 557 557 or 011 501 5089. (Absa)

Common Errors and Troubleshooting

If *120*2272# will not run, check you typed it correctly and are on the number registered for Absa Cellphone Banking. Recently done a SIM swap, ported your number, or lost the registered phone? Contact Absa before trying to send anything.

If the menu opens but CashSend is missing, your account, profile, limits, or cellphone banking access may need attention. Try the app, Absa Online, an ATM, or official support.

If the session times out, slow down before the next attempt. Check your account history first, so you do not repeat a transaction that already went through.

If the receiver got no SMS, check the number was entered correctly, then whether the SMS is delayed, blocked, or sitting on another SIM. If the number is wrong, contact Absa immediately and give the access code to nobody.

If the receiver cannot withdraw, confirm they are at an Absa ATM, on the cardless or CashSend route, entering the 10-digit withdrawal number correctly, with the right 6-digit access code. Still failing? Stop at the ATM and check the status through official channels.

For broader help, use withdraw cash sent to my phone or cardless withdrawal USSD code.

Related Bank and Wallet Guides

• Send money USSD code South Africa: send-money and cardless cash options across SA banks and wallets.
• Retrieve cash voucher USSD code: when you have a voucher, reference or withdrawal code and need the collection route.
• Withdraw cash sent to my phone: for recipients collecting safely.
• Cardless withdrawal USSD code: broader cardless options and common withdrawal problems.
• Absa CashSend limit: when the question is the current limit by channel.
• Absa CashSend not received: missing SMS, failed withdrawal, expiry, or wrong-number problems.

FAQ

What should I check before using the Absa cash send USSD code?

That you dialled *120*2272# from your registered number, that the menu really is Absa Cellphone Banking, and that you know your 5-digit PIN. Then, before confirming: recipient number, name, amount, debit account, fee, and 6-digit access code.

Can it be cancelled or reversed?

Not guaranteed. If the money is not yet withdrawn, Absa may have a route to manage the transaction, but the outcome depends on status and channel. Keep your reference details and go through official channels.

What happens if a withdrawal code expires?

Absa states CashSend transactions are available for 30 days only. If it was not collected in time, check the status through Absa’s official channels rather than acting on advice from strangers or social media comments. (Absa)

Are there fees or limits?

Yes. Absa’s pages list Cellphone Banking CashSend limits, including R500 daily and R3,000 monthly, but these change and depend on channel, account type and profile. Check the live menu and current pricing. (Absa)

What if the code is not working?

Check the code, your signal, the registered number, and whether your Cellphone Banking profile is active. If the transaction may already have gone through, check account history before retrying. Then use the app, online banking, an ATM, a branch, or support.

Is the Absa cash send USSD route safe?

The route is an official Absa Cellphone Banking one, but safe use comes down to checking carefully. Share no PIN, OTP, password, card PIN, CVV or passcode, click no SMS links claiming to be the bank, and let nobody pressure you into sending. Absa is explicit that it will never ask for your PIN, password, passcode, transaction verification, or CVV. (Absa)