Withdraw Cash Sent To My Phone

If you need to withdraw cash sent to my phone, the first step is to identify which bank or wallet sent the money. In South Africa, cash sent to a cellphone is usually collected with a voucher number, reference number, withdrawal number, temporary PIN, access PIN, or secret code. The correct withdrawal menu depends on the service used, not only on the sender’s bank.

Last checked: 25 June 2026. Codes, menus, limits, fees, expiry periods, retailers, and reversal rules can change. Always confirm the details on the official bank screen before you authorise, send, cancel, or withdraw money.

Quick Answer and Code/Menu Path

To withdraw cash sent to your phone, check the SMS for the service name first. The SMS may say FNB eWallet, Absa CashSend, Capitec Send Cash, Standard Bank Instant Money, Nedbank cardless withdrawal, or another bank wallet. Use the matching ATM or retailer menu only.

Do not type a voucher number, OTP, secret code, banking PIN, app PIN, card PIN, password, or full card number into a link sent by SMS, WhatsApp, email, or social media. Only enter the details into the official ATM, official app, official USSD session, or retailer till prompt.

How to Send Money or Withdraw Cash

If cash was sent to your phone

Start with the message you received. Look for the bank name, service name, reference number, voucher number, expiry wording, and any instruction about where to collect. Do not assume that every cash-send service works at every ATM.

For FNB eWallet, the recipient can use *120*277# to access eWallet and select Get Cash for a temporary ATM PIN. At the FNB ATM, choose eWallet Services, enter the cellphone number and temporary ATM PIN, then choose the withdrawal amount. FNB also lists selected retailers such as Pick n Pay, Checkers, Shoprite, Usave, PEP and Ackermans for eWallet cash or spend options, with *120*277*4# used to generate a one-time PIN for selected till use. (FNB)

For Absa CashSend, you can get the money at an Absa ATM, Pick n Pay, or Boxer. At an Absa ATM, select CashSend Withdrawal, enter the 10-digit reference or withdrawal number sent to your cellphone, enter the 6-digit PIN from the sender, and withdraw the money. At Pick n Pay or Boxer, Absa says the 10-digit withdrawal number and 6-digit PIN are presented at the till. (Absa)

For Capitec Send Cash, the sender should give you the reference number and the 4-digit secret code. Capitec says the secret code is created when sending and must be used to collect the money. Collection is available at supported retailers and Capitec ATMs; at a retailer, you tell the teller you have a cash transfer from a Capitec client, provide the reference number, and enter or provide the secret code as prompted. (Capitec Bank)

For Standard Bank Instant Money, the recipient receives a voucher number and PIN. Standard Bank says the cash can be withdrawn at a Standard Bank ATM or participating retailer by selecting Withdraw money or Instant Money, entering the 10-digit voucher number, then entering the 4-digit PIN. (Standard Bank)

For Nedbank cardless withdrawal, Nedbank says recipients receive a 10-digit voucher number and a four-digit PIN via cellphone. The cash can be withdrawn at a Nedbank ATM or participating retailer. Nedbank also says that if the SMS is missing, the recipient can use *120*001# for Cellphone Banking or *120*002# for MobiMoney to have the cash voucher resent. (Nedbank)

If you are sending money to someone’s phone

Before sending, confirm the recipient’s cellphone number digit by digit. A wrong number can send the voucher to the wrong person, and a reversal is not guaranteed once the money has been withdrawn.

Use the bank’s official app, online banking, ATM, cellphone banking, or participating retailer. If you create a secret code or collection PIN, send it separately from the voucher or reference number. Do not post it in a group chat, send it to someone who claims to be “helping”, or read it out to a caller.

For Capitec, sending by USSD starts with *120*3279#, then the sender follows the send-cash prompts, creates a 4-digit secret code, and enters the Mobile Banking PIN. Capitec says the reference number can be shared with the recipient and the secret code must also be sent to the recipient. (Capitec Bank)

For Absa, cellphone banking uses *120*2272#; Absa’s CashSend flow asks the sender to enter the beneficiary cellphone number, amount, and 6-digit access PIN or code that the beneficiary will use to get the funds. (Absa)

For Standard Bank, Instant Money can be sent through the Banking App, Cellphone Banking, Internet Banking, Standard Bank ATMs, the Instant Money Wallet, and participating retailers. Standard Bank lists *120*2345# for Cellphone Banking and *120*212# for Instant Money Wallet. (Standard Bank)

For Nedbank, sending money to a cellphone can be done through the Money app, Online Banking, or Cellphone Banking *120*001#. Nedbank says the recipient is sent an SMS containing the cash voucher PIN code. (Nedbank)

Fees, Limits, Expiry, and Reversal Notes

Fees, limits, expiry periods, and reversal rules differ by bank and channel. Check the latest confirmation screen before you complete the transaction.

For FNB eWallet, temporary OTPs and temporary ATM PINs are valid for 16 hours. FNB says wallet reversals can be done through the FNB App, cellphone banking *120*321#, eWallet on WhatsApp, or the contact centre, but a reversal should not be treated as guaranteed if the money has already been used or withdrawn. (FNB)

For Absa CashSend, Absa lists CashSend availability as 30 days. Absa also lists different limits depending on the channel: for example, cellphone banking has lower CashSend limits than online, app, or ATM routes. (Absa)

For Capitec Send Cash, Capitec lists a fee by amount band, free collection at supported retailers or Capitec ATMs, and different limits for USSD compared with app and internet banking. Capitec’s current page lists USSD sending up to R1,000 per transaction and R1,000 daily, while app and internet banking can allow higher send amounts. (Capitec Bank)

For Standard Bank Instant Money, Standard Bank lists fees by channel and amount band, including different fees for retail channels and Standard Bank digital channels. Standard Bank also says Instant Money vouchers have a 10-digit voucher number, a 4-digit PIN, a withdrawal limit of up to R5,000 per day and R25,000 per month, and voucher validity of 3 years from issue while active. (Standard Bank)

For Nedbank cardless withdrawal, Nedbank says a voucher is valid for 30 days and the money is returned to the sender if the voucher expires. Nedbank’s FAQ also says fees apply and users should refer to the latest pricing schedule. (Nedbank)

If a transaction was sent to the wrong number, act immediately through the official bank route. If the voucher has already been redeemed, the bank may not be able to recover the money. Nedbank states that users can cancel a send-money transaction only if the voucher has not been redeemed, and it also reminds users that the bank is not liable if money is paid to the wrong cellphone number or if the amount is wrong. (Nedbank)

Safety Checks Before You Confirm

Before you send or withdraw cash, stop and check the following:

1. Confirm the service name in the SMS.
2. Confirm the amount.
3. Confirm the sender or receiver’s cellphone number.
4. Confirm the correct ATM or retailer for that specific service.
5. Keep the voucher number, reference number, OTP, PIN, and secret code private.
6. Do not let a stranger assist you at the ATM.
7. Do not withdraw cash for someone you do not know.
8. Do not approve app prompts you did not start.
9. Do not move money to a “safe account”.
10. Do not click login links from SMS, WhatsApp, email, or social media.

SABRIC advises banking users to memorise PINs and passwords and never write them down or share them, not even with a bank official. (SABRIC) Capitec’s fraud guidance also warns that the bank will never ask a customer to do a send-cash transaction, transfer money to a “safe account”, or approve a transaction to stop fraud. (Capitec Bank)

If someone calls and says they need your voucher code to reverse a transaction, stop. A real reversal should be done inside the official banking channel or through the bank’s verified support route. If a person is rushing you, threatening you, or telling you not to speak to the bank, treat it as a scam warning sign.

What To Do If The Withdrawal Is Not Working

Check network and account status

If the USSD code does not open, check that you are using the correct SIM, that the phone has signal, and that the code belongs to the correct bank. USSD menus can fail when the network is congested or when the wrong SIM is selected on a dual-SIM phone.

Check the withdrawal details

If the ATM or till rejects the transaction, confirm that the voucher has not expired, the code belongs to that bank’s service, and the amount can be dispensed at that ATM or retailer. Standard Bank notes that some ATMs may not dispense R10 or R20 notes and suggests redeeming inside a participating retail store if this happens. (Standard Bank)

Retry safely

Do not keep entering random PINs or guessing a secret code. If the code has expired, request a new code only through the official bank route. FNB says a temporary ATM PIN can be requested again if it expires, and Nedbank says lost voucher details can be retrieved or resent through its official cellphone banking or MobiMoney routes. (online.fnb.co.za)

Escalate through the official bank route

If the ATM did not dispense cash but the voucher appears used, keep the receipt, note the ATM or store location, record the time, and contact the bank through its official app, website, branch, or contact centre. Standard Bank says failed Instant Money ATM cash-dispense issues should be investigated through the Instant Money call centre. (Standard Bank)

Related Bank and Wallet Guides

Use these related guides when you know which bank or task applies:

• send money USSD code South Africa
• FNB eWallet USSD code
• Absa CashSend USSD code
• Capitec Send Cash USSD code
• Nedbank send money USSD code
• cardless withdrawal USSD code
• retrieve cash voucher USSD code

FAQ

What should I check before I withdraw cash sent to my phone?

Check the bank or wallet name, the voucher or reference number, the withdrawal PIN or secret code, the amount, and the correct ATM or retailer. Do not use a code from one bank in another bank’s ATM menu. If you are unsure which service was used, ask the sender to confirm the service name without asking them to reveal their banking PIN, app PIN, password, or card details.

Can withdraw cash sent to my phone be cancelled or reversed?

It depends on the provider and whether the money has already been withdrawn. If the voucher is still unused, some banks allow cancellation or reversal through the app, cellphone banking, online banking, contact centre, or original sending channel. FNB lists reversal routes for eWallet, Standard Bank says Instant Money vouchers can be cancelled through the same channel if the full value remains, and Nedbank says a send-money transaction can be cancelled only if the voucher has not been redeemed. (FNB)

What happens if a voucher or withdrawal code expires?

The result depends on the bank. FNB temporary OTPs and ATM PINs are valid for 16 hours. Absa CashSend is available for 30 days. Nedbank says vouchers are valid for 30 days and the money is returned to the sender if the voucher expires. Standard Bank says Instant Money vouchers are valid for 3 years from the date issued while active. (FNB)

Are there fees or limits for withdraw cash sent to my phone?

Yes, but they vary by bank, channel, amount, and account type. Capitec, Absa, Standard Bank, FNB, and Nedbank each publish service-specific rules or pricing notes, and these can change. Check the live bank confirmation screen before sending money and check the latest provider page before relying on a fee or limit. (Capitec Bank)

What should I do if the receiver cannot withdraw?

Ask the receiver to check the correct bank menu, the correct cellphone number, the voucher or reference number, the secret code or PIN, the expiry time, and the withdrawal location. If the SMS is missing, use the official resend or retrieval route for that provider. Nedbank says recipients can use *120*001# or *120*002# to have voucher details resent, while Standard Bank lists self-help and contact-centre options for missing Instant Money voucher notifications. (Nedbank)