Quail Creek Bank is proud to offer Zelle as your P2P (person-to-person) resource for sending funds easily with your smartphone. Before using Zelle, here are some helpful tips.
Zelle payments are made in real-time and can not be recalled or canceled so it is best to pay only people you know or have met in person. Consider verifying the email or phone number of the person you are paying before sending a larger sum of money by sending a test payment of $1 first. Additionally, keep your phone locked when it isn’t in use as skilled scammers can send themselves money using your device in a matter of seconds!
Here are some common scams you should look out for:
- A scammer claiming to be from a utility company threatens to shut off service if you don’t pay within the next few minutes. Your utility company will never do this!
- A scammer claiming to be from the bank to alert you of possible fraud on your account and requesting your passwords or asking you to send a payment to verify your account. While a banker may call you to alert you of potential fraud, they will not ask for you to send a payment or provide your passwords. Keep your passwords private!
- An old friend or family member is reaching out from a new phone number and needs financial help. If you’re in doubt, try to locate your old friend or family member via their old phone number or social media. Just say no if there is any doubt!
- The classic scam of a family member held in a foreign prison has been going on for years. Don’t fall for the scammer requesting your Zelle payment to release your sweet nephew from prison! He is most likely sitting comfortably at home watching television.
- If someone you don’t know requests you to send a payment in exchange for a gift card or merchandise, beware! This could include the payee asking you to deposit a check in your account, then Zelle the money back to them.
- A scammer requesting payment for advertising costs, such as wrapping your vehicle with their logo.
- Unsolicited texts or emails that offer some business proposition of work, but ask you to send a payment for some expense up front is a scam.
- There has been a surge of pedigree pups or kitten advertisements that require the buyer to place a down payment on their new pet to reserve the animal. These ads have adorable pictures of animals that don’t even exist. Do not make a P2P payment in advance for animals you have not seen.
While this is just a list of some of the scams we see more frequently, always use caution when making P2P payments…think of the transaction as the same as paying cash. Keeping these tips in mind will help you protect your money.
