Freddie Mac SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of Freddie Mac

The short code FMACUS33 and the full code FMACUS33XXX identify one and the same institution: Freddie Mac, with its head office in Mclean,va. The code has a single purpose: it makes sure that a cross-border transfer reaches the right bank. You will need it mostly when dealing with transfers between countries.

On this page you can read how the code is put together, when you need it and which other details a transfer to or from Freddie Mac requires. The SWIFT code on its own cannot identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN .

Which of the 2 codes of Freddie Mac do you need?

We have 2 SWIFT/BIC codes for Freddie Mac, spread over 1 locations. Next to the head office code FMACUS33XXX, there are codes for individual branches and departments.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code FMACUS33XXX is the right choice. If you have been given a branch code, use it as it is rather than replacing it with the head office code.

Not sure which code applies? Check with the recipient. Branch codes are more prone to change than FMACUS33XXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

Incoming international payments to Freddie Mac

When you expect money from abroad, send the payer all details at once. Give them your name as the bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC FMACUS33XXX and your address, which some banks require.

You can include the bank name and its city as well, since some forms ask for it. A typo in the IBAN can be harder to fix than it looks, so copy the details from your online banking.

An incoming payment will not always arrive for the full amount. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank; check the price list of Freddie Mac. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Is FMACUS33 still correct? How to check

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. Compare it with FMACUS33 on this page; if they differ, ask before you pay.

If the code is wrong, the transfer might get stuck, bounce back or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. Remember the IBAN: a mistake there is more difficult to correct than a wrong BIC.

An automatic check in your banking app merely confirms that the IBAN exists, not that it is the right account. Where available, a name check on the recipient adds extra certainty. A small test payment can be a sensible step for large sums.

What the XXX in FMACUS33XXX means

The structure of a BIC is always the same: a bank code of four letters, two for the country and two for the location, plus an optional branch code. That gives you FMACUS33 for Freddie Mac.

XXX at the end of FMACUS33XXX is not a missing value or a mistake: it stands for the main office of Freddie Mac. Certain payment forms insist on 11 characters, in which case you simply enter XXX after FMACUS33.

Enter the code as one block, in upper case and without spaces. A single letter may route the money to a different institution.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Be alert when someone suddenly asks you to pay into a different account abroad. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine: scammers use real codes of real banks.

Always verify changed bank details through a phone call. Watch out for urgent requests, odd spelling or an email address that differs by one letter. Already paid? Contact the bank you paid from without delay and ask them to try to recall the payment and report the fraud.

Recipients are targeted too: one known trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to refund the difference abroad. Do not act before the money has really arrived and check with Freddie Mac if anything seems off.

International transfers from Freddie Mac: the real cost

An international bank payment can cost rather more than the fee suggests. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can deduct a fee, and if the money changes currency the bank often applies a rate below the real market rate.

Banks do not list their exchange rate markup as a cost, but you pay it all the same. A simple test: put the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

For many routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer – mostly thanks to the rate. On GoldexPay we compare what recipients receive with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can always use your account at Freddie Mac; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

US Dollar (USD) and conversion costs

Most accounts at Freddie Mac are typically held in USD, the local currency of United States. If you send money in a different currency it has to be converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or Freddie Mac itself. Each conversion eats into something.

Which bank converts the money matters. Check what USD arrives with several services.

The rate for USD changes constantly. On larger amounts, a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and check our list from time to time. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes. Figures such as the number of codes come from our own dataset and may differ from what Freddie Mac publishes.

For a payment of any size, always check the code with Freddie Mac or the recipient. GoldexPay is independent of Freddie Mac; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Found an error? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

How long does an international transfer to Freddie Mac take?

There is no fixed delivery time: many land the same day or the next while others need several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually start the next business day. Sometimes a bank asks about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact the sending bank about the status and the transaction reference so they can trace it along the chain. Specialist transfer services often show a status in their app showing where the money is.

A missing payment has to be investigated by the sending bank, using the payment confirmation. As a recipient, it helps to check your account for a slightly lower amount.