Weird mystery about a zelle payment

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 1:57 am

amother OP wrote:

Fwiw, I just looked up this company on google.
It is a legit company, with only 5 star reviews.
(When I hired him, I didn’t bother checking because I just went with my friend's recommendation.)

Interesting that he is using his wife personal Zelle. He should probably open a business account 😀

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 2:04 am

amother Mulberry wrote:

Interesting that he is using his wife personal Zelle. He should probably open a business account 😀

So I just went back to check my texts from that day.
He asked me to pay using a number that was different than his. I confirmed the name and he said yes.
That number is the same number as the person who texted me claiming to be his wife tonight.
So it all checks out.

Not sure why he is using his wife's account.

amother

↑ Magenta

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 2:06 am

amother OP wrote:

Interesting.
But did the fraud claim come from someone who zelled them?

No, the bank alleged that the owner of the account reported fraud, but she hadn't! It was a terrible situation and the person would have been out of money for days if not for another bank account at another bank.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 2:20 am

amother Magenta wrote:

Oy vay.
I think these things happen. Banks make errors.

Ma3 ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 8:54 am

amother OP wrote:

Ok. He hasn't asked me for any info yet. He only said his account was locked and asked for help unlocking it. Amd I was the one who offered to meet at the bank, not him.

Have you seen this scam anywhere? I always try to Google scams if I think something is a scam but I haven't seen this one anywhere.

Last I checked, you don't call a person to tell them that their transaction made their account be frozen and now they need your help. Even if he might be an innocent person that had his bank or zelle account locked, he needs to discuss with bank or/and with Zelle. Not with you. And you shouldn't be helping him with this. If his bank can't help him, he should contact Zelle, not you.

Last edited by Ma3 on Tue, Nov 19 2024, 8:58 am; edited 1 time in total

↑ Ma3 ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 8:55 am

amother OP wrote:

Question.
If I call Wells Fargo (from a number online) and give them the case number- is there any harm in that?
If I don't give any info?

Why are you getting involved in his issues and taking care of it for him? This isn't your problem, regardless if it's a scam or not...

amother

↑ Butterscotch ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 8:59 am

amother OP wrote:

Except you don’t know that this number is actually his wife… that’s their story. But you don’t know what’s going on here exactly.

gamanit ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 10:23 am

Someone once sent me a payment by zelle which froze my bank account. I had to go down in person to get it unlocked. What happened was that I had just gotten a new debit card from my bank the day that zelle payment was sent to me. For some reason that triggered the potential fraud warning on the bank's end. Once I spoke to the bank (in person) they sent the payment back to the person who sent it to me and unlocked my account. The person was then able to resend me the money.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 10:55 am

gamanit wrote:

Interesting.
What makes this story strange is that the payment was made on October 15, more than a month ago. If it would have not gone through, it would have bounced back within days, I would think.
But it has not bounced back. I checked and double checked my account.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 10:56 am

Ma3 wrote:

Why are you getting involved in his issues and taking care of it for him? This isn't your problem, regardless if it's a scam or not...

Because I feel bad.
I want to help him if I can.

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 11:05 am

amother OP wrote:

I think the transaction may have triggered it but not in the way he thinks. Zelle or the bank may have flagged it.

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 11:10 am

amother Butterscotch wrote:

Except you don’t know that this number is actually his wife… that’s their story. But you don’t know what’s going on here exactly.

We don’t.

Everyone is telling her to tread carefully, don’t give out info, don’t send more money, don’t meet in person…

We just aren’t saying forsure a scam (or calling people that say it might not be, naive) and threaten to go to the police station.
Even if it isnt a scam OP is being extra nice her. It’s between him and his bank to work out.. she is understanding that it is very hard to deal with banks and have an account shut down and is going above and beyond to him.

In my opinion… he just sounds like a person that doesn’t understand the technicalities of business and banking. (Have a business account. Deal with bank directly…)

amother

↑ Myrtle

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 11:14 am

amother OP wrote:

Because I feel bad.
I want to help him if I can.

But there isn't much you can do. It is his account and he needs to work with his bank how to unlock it. If part of that process involves sending the money back to you, that's is when you can help out.

Anything else on your part is inappropriate and frankly puts you at risk.

↑ gamanit

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 12:19 pm

amother OP wrote:

If I remember correctly the payment didn't bounce back into the sender's account until my account was unlocked.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 12:59 pm

I had to go to the bank to take care of another matter, and while was there, I asked the manager about this story. She said that once the money leaves my account there is nothing they can do to trace it.

She said the other person has to deal directly with their bank and the banks work it out between themselves.

I told this to the guy and this was his response:
That's not what the bank is saying, they specifically told us that you did not authorize the Zelle transaction and they are removing the money from our account now. I will need to show them the messages between us to prove that it was not a fraud transaction

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 1:02 pm

amother OP wrote:

“They did not authorize the bank transaction”
Seems to indicate the bank flagged the transaction not that you submitted a claim.
They need to work it out with their bank.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 1:05 pm

amother Mulberry wrote:

“They did not authorize the bank transaction”
Seems to indicate the bank flagged the transaction not that you submitted a claim.
They need to work it out with their bank.

He wrote YOU (meaning me) did not authorize the bank transaction.

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 1:07 pm

amother OP wrote:

He wrote YOU (meaning me) did not authorize the bank transaction.

How could you not authorize something you sent..
Can't Believe It

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Tue, Nov 19 2024, 1:09 pm

amother Mulberry wrote:

How could you not authorize something you sent..
Can't Believe It

At this point it’s really not in your hands.
I would send a text.
I’m so sorry this mess but as I confirmed I didn’t open a claim. If for some reason your bank returns the money to my account I will definitely make sure to pay you but right now it debited from my account to yours thru Zelle.
Good luck with getting your account back opened.