A “fraud alert” text says a Zelle payment is about to go out from your account and tells you how to cancel it. It might even look like it came from your own bank.
YourBank Fraud Alert: Zelle payment of $1,250.00 to John R. is pending. Reply 1 to cancel or call 1-800-555-0183 immediately.
An invented example, but real scam messages look just like it.
Short answer: Don’t reply and don’t call the number. Zelle’s own advice is not to reply to texts or calls, even if they seem to be from Zelle or your bank.
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Red flags in a message like this
- A payment you didn’t make, with a number to “cancel” it
- A caller who then tells you to send money to yourself or a “safe account”
- A request for your online banking login, Zelle token or a code
- A number that isn’t on the back of your card
- Pressure to act within minutes
What Zelle says
- Zelle says: don’t reply to texts or calls even if they seem to be from Zelle or your bank. If it’s a call, hang up and call your bank directly.
- Zelle moves money between banks, so your account is at your bank. Check your balance and recent activity in your bank’s own app.
- Money sent by Zelle can be very hard to get back, which is why scammers push it.
If you already tapped, replied or paid
- Sent money: call your bank right away, say it was a scam, and ask what can be done.
- Shared your login or a code: change your password and call your bank.
- Report to Zelle, your bank, the FTC and the FBI’s IC3, as Zelle advises.
Report it: Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org, as Zelle suggests. Also report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Still not sure? Paste it into ScamRead before you reply or pay.