Zelle warns of scams, says she’s not responsible for funds stolen via app – WSB-TV Channel 2

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The money was gone in seconds. This is what happens to millions of customers who rely on the popular Zelle money transfer app.

Consumer advisers say thieves using the app to target money are on the rise.

Channel 2’s Ashli ​​Lincoln discovered that nearly 18 million Americans have been scammed involving these money transfer apps.

Consumer advisors are warning people not to fall for this scam because once your money runs out, there’s a good chance you won’t get it back.

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Janet Hass is one of dozens of Atlanta Metropolitan Bank customers who said they were duped by scammers using the Zelle app.

“We found out that we had been hacked by Zelle,” she said. “Almost over $40,000.”

Hass said the bank account she shares with her 20-year-old son was targeted by scammers.

“He had been saving for college for about a year and a half and for buying a car. All his savings are wasted and there is no access to them,” she said.

She contacted Channel 2 Action News after seeing our story last week about a Peachtree City woman who said thieves took $2,000.

“I would like my money back,” said this woman.

Channel 2 has reported that scammers are using the Zelle app to trick consumers into authorizing money to thieves.

“From there, the card was turned off at that point, this person who hacked us turned it back on, turned it off, three to four times,” Hass said.

In his case, Hass said he received an alert that a stranger had added himself to his Zelle account.

“He said Jasmine Wild added herself as a Zelle recipient,” she said.

Currently, most banks like Wells Fargo, Chase, and some credit unions don’t offer customers fraud protection or refunds on their accounts if they’ve been scammed with the Zelle app.

“It’s terrible,” Hass said.

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Lincoln spoke with a representative from Zelle, who said these scams are concerning and that they are working to notify customers as these cases continue to rise.

The company said that because Zelle is a third-party money transfer service and not responsible for holding account funds, it does not have to offer fraud protection or refunds – it depends on the bank of the account. the individual.

The company said it has worked with cybercrime support networks to educate consumers about these scams, launching an information campaign on how to spot financial scams and flooding social media pages with advice.

Consumer adviser Clark Howard said If you just need to use the Zelle app, don’t link it to your main checking account.

“Zelle is married at the hip to your bank account, and if a criminal is able to tap into the money in your account through Zelle, the money is gone forever,” Howard said.

Howard said to create a separate account just for Zelle transfers, so if scammers break into your app, you’re protected.

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“Within three days, his account was empty,” Hass said. “We would just like Wells Fargo to acknowledge, see our evidence and reimburse it.”

Some banks say they are not responsible for these funds because they are “authorized transfers”. They say it’s not their fault that someone was scammed and authorized a fraudulent transfer, because it’s a federally approved practice.

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