Zelle scam — bank says I authorized it voluntarily

I know I'm going to get judged for this, but I need help. I was in what I thought was an online relationship for about four months. The person I was talking to claimed to be a military contractor overseas. Over the course of two months, I sent a total of $6,000 via Zelle in multiple transactions — they said it was for emergency travel expenses to come visit me.

I eventually realized it was a scam when they asked for another $3,000 and the stories stopped adding up. I went to my bank (Wells Fargo) and reported it as fraud. They denied my claim, saying I voluntarily authorized the Zelle transfers and that they have no obligation to reverse authorized transactions.

I'm devastated — both emotionally and financially. Is there really nothing I can do? $6,000 is three months of savings for me.

Please don't beat yourself up. Romance scams are incredibly sophisticated and they target people of all backgrounds and education levels. The FBI's IC3 reported over $1.3 billion in romance scam losses in 2023 alone. You are not alone in this.

I'd recommend also reporting to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. It may not get your money back directly, but it helps law enforcement track these operations and sometimes leads to recoveries.

First — no judgment here. This is far more common than most people realize, and banks have been under increasing regulatory pressure to address Zelle fraud specifically.

Here's the current legal landscape:

The CFPB issued guidance in 2023 stating that transactions induced by fraud — where the consumer was deceived into initiating the transfer — should be treated differently from truly voluntary authorized transactions. Under Regulation E, an "unauthorized electronic fund transfer" includes transfers initiated by someone who obtained authority through fraud or duress. The CFPB's position is that when a consumer is tricked into sending money, the bank may still have liability.

However, banks have been inconsistent in applying this guidance, and there's ongoing debate about its scope. Here's what to do:

• File a CFPB complaint referencing their 2023 guidance on Zelle fraud. Explain that you were induced to make these transfers through a romance scam.
• File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer protection office. Several state AGs have been actively investigating bank practices around Zelle fraud.
• If Wells Fargo still won't budge, you may have a claim under your state's unfair and deceptive practices act (UDAP) — most states have these statutes and they often allow for treble damages and attorney's fees.

The political and regulatory environment around Zelle fraud is shifting rapidly in consumers' favor. Don't give up.

Similar situation here — I lost $4,500 to an investment scam through Zelle. Bank of America initially denied my claim with the same "you authorized it" reasoning.

I filed a CFPB complaint and a complaint with my state AG. About six weeks later, BofA reversed their decision and credited my account. They specifically cited the CFPB complaint in their letter. It took persistence, but it worked.

The CFPB route is worth trying. The worst that can happen is they still say no, and you're in the same position you're in now.

Thank you all for being kind about this. I already filed with the FBI and FTC. I'll do the CFPB complaint tonight and look into my state AG's office.

AttorneyPriyaShah — that CFPB guidance is really encouraging. I didn't know about that. The scammer absolutely obtained my "authorization" through deception, not through any legitimate relationship. I'll make that argument clearly in the complaint.

I work in banking compliance and want to add some context. The major banks that own Zelle (through Early Warning Services) have been facing enormous pressure from Congress and the CFPB on fraud reimbursement. Several banks have quietly started reimbursing certain categories of scam losses on a case-by-case basis, even though their official policy says they won't.

The CFPB complaint really is the key. It creates a regulatory record and triggers a higher-level review process at the bank. The frontline reps who denied your initial claim don't have the authority to reverse it, but the team that handles CFPB complaints does. Be thorough in your complaint — include dates, amounts, a timeline of the scam, and copies of all communications with the bank.