How to send money safely with Zelle®

Only send money to those you trust

Zelle® should only be used with friends, family and others you trust. Why? Because you can't cancel a payment once it's been sent, if the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. And if you send money to someone you don't know, or you do not get what you expected, you may not get your money back.

Treat Zelle® like cash

While Zelle® and cash are certainly different, both provide the recipient with fast access to the money you send. With Zelle®, money moves directly into the enrolled recipient's checking account within minutes. And again, once you authorize a payment to be sent, you can't cancel it if the recipient is already enrolled.

Beware of payment scams

If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, a stranger selling online concert tickets at a steep discount and insisting you pay with Zelle® may be a scam.

Neither VCCU nor Zelle® offers a protection program for authorized payments made with Zelle®, so pay it safe. Only send money to those you personally know and trust.

Confirm your recipient's contact information

Make sure you have the correct U.S. mobile phone number or email address for the person you want to send money to. When in doubt, contact your friend to double check. If you authorize a payment to be sent to the wrong person, you may not get your money back.

Understand your payment options

If you don't know a person or aren't sure you’ll get what you paid for, using your credit card may be a better payment option. Many credit card companies offer built-in buyer protections for cardholders. Check the terms and conditions of your credit card to see what's offered.

See how to send money safely

Watch out for the Pay Yourself Scam