Zelle Scams: "Sent You Money by Mistake", Fake Payments and How to Get Money Back

Short answer: if a stranger sends you money on Zelle "by mistake" and asks you to send it back, do not send it. The money often came from a stolen account and will be reversed, leaving you out of pocket. Contact your bank instead. Zelle has no purchase protection, so never use it to pay strangers for goods.

The common Zelle scams

1. "Sent you money by mistake." A payment arrives from a stranger, followed by a polite request to return it. When the real account holder reports fraud, the bank reverses the original payment, but your "refund" is gone.
2. Bank imposters. A call or text "from your bank's fraud team" tells you to send money to yourself or a "safe account" through Zelle.
3. Marketplace sellers who want Zelle for a puppy, car, rental or concert ticket, then disappear.
4. Fake payment confirmations sent to sellers: an email or screenshot saying payment is "pending" until you ship.

Can I get my money back?

• Imposter scams: since 2023, banks on the Zelle network reimburse qualifying cases where a scammer posed as your bank, a government agency or a business. Report it to your bank quickly.
• Payments you authorised to a seller: usually not covered. This is why a credit card, which lets you dispute a purchase, is safer with strangers.
• Payments you did not make: report to your bank immediately as unauthorised.

What to do now

1. Call your bank using the number on your card or official app.
2. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
3. Confirm any payment you receive in your own banking app before shipping goods.
4. Never return a "mistaken" payment yourself: let the bank handle it.

Related: how to get a chargeback, sent money to a scammer? and Amazon scam calls.