There has been a significant rise in fictitious Zelle charges debiting consumer accounts in recent weeks. Fraudsters are using stolen debit card information to send instant payments to fictitious accounts. With the stolen card data, fraudsters are able to enroll in Zelle, a popular digital payments network and mobile app similar to Venmo and PayPal.

Due to the instantaneous features of Zelle, where consumers are able to transfer money between parties quickly, it is difficult to stop or retrieve funds once the receiver accepts payment. It is likely that fictitious receiving accounts were pre-established to allow for the stolen funds to be sent and accepted within minutes, and without any ability for the payments to be cancelled.

We encourage you to be extra vigilant with your personal and account information, including your debit and credit cards. Below are some best practices for protecting yourself and loved ones from digital payment fraud:

• Never share account information with a non-trusted party, or person/group you do not know
• Never leave account information, including debit and credit card information, unattended or out in the open
• Never give away your PIN and do not write it down on the back of your card
• Never reply to an email, text message or phone call asking for personal details such as:
  • Personal account information
  • Personal identifying information
  • Username/password credentials
  • Intimidating or persistent requests for an immediate transfer of funds
• Monitor your account for suspicious activity and be sure to notify your financial institutions about charges you do not recognize
• Make sure your financial institutions have your most up-to-date contact information in case there is a need to reach you

If you ever feel information related to your financial accounts with us has been compromised, please notify us immediately so we can help protect your accounts and report the fraud to the appropriate authorities.