One incorrect digit in an online bank transfer has cost a small business almost $25,000 and left the man who subcontracted it scurrying to recover the misplaced funds.

Peter Muraway was looking to get a site cleared for development when a "little bit of asbestos" was found.

He subcontracted small business Whole Landscapes, run by husband and wife Tina and Stephen.

Whole Landscapes is a small business run by husband-and-wife team Tina and Stephen. (9news)

They finished the job and sent out the bill, which Peter promptly paid - only to run into an unfortunate snag.

"It was a simple mistake with my fat fingers," Peter told A Current Affair.

He mistyped the businesses BSB number, and the money went elsewhere, as by some coincidence the Whole Landscapes account number matched an account number at the different bank branch.

Whole Landscapes was contracted to clean up a site prior to development. (9news)

When Tina and Steve called him, Peter immediately contacted his bank, NAB, which eventually wrote back saying they "couldn't do anymore" for him.

The receiving bank, ANZ, said they were unable to reverse the funds unless the customer agreed to do so.

However, the bank has been unsuccessful in contacting the customer, and privacy laws forbid the bank from disclosing the customer's identity.

Peter Muraway said a mistake from his "fat fingers" ruined the payment. (9news)

Tina and Stephen said the information they did glean from the banks suggested the money went to an account in Woolgoolga, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.

"It's been terrible because I know the pressure Tina and Steve have been under," Peter said.

A Current Affair spoke to Woolgoolga locals who were adamant they would return the money had it popped into their account.

Peter said he got one digit of the BSB number wrong - sending the money to a random account. (9news)

"You have to," said one.

"Because (it's) someone else's misfortune."

After A Current Affair became involved in the case, ANZ managed to recover $15,000 of the incorrect transaction which will be returned to Peter.