Got a payment request that feels off? Answer six yes-or-no questions below. The checker compares your answers with the patterns behind the most common Zelle® scams reported to consumers and regulators. It runs entirely in your browser and nothing you select is sent anywhere.
This checker is an educational guide, not a guarantee. A low-risk result does not mean a request is safe. When in doubt, don't send, and call your bank.
Why Each Question Matters
1. Do you know them and have you paid them before?
Zelle is built for paying people you already trust. Payments are fast and final, so a first payment to someone you've never met carries the most risk.
2. Did they contact you first?
Scams almost always start with an unexpected call, text or message. Legitimate requests usually come from people you contacted or already deal with.
3. Are you paying before you get the item?
Zelle has no purchase protection for payments you authorize. Paying a stranger for tickets, a pet, a rental or electronics you haven't seen is the most common way people lose money.
4. Is "your bank" or an agency asking you to send money?
Your bank will never ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else to stop fraud or reverse a charge, and government agencies don't collect money by Zelle. This single pattern is behind many of the largest losses.
5. Are you being rushed or told to keep it quiet?
Urgency and secrecy are pressure tactics. They stop you from pausing, checking or asking someone you trust.
6. Overpayments and "pending" payments
Fake overpayments ask you to refund money that never really arrived. Fake "pending payment" emails demand a fee or a business upgrade. Real Zelle payments appear in your own banking app, and receiving money is always free.
If You Already Sent the Money
- Call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card and say you were scammed.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- File a complaint with the FBI at the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
- Secure your accounts by changing passwords and turning on multi-factor authentication if you shared any login details.
See what protections may apply in our Zelle safety guide, and the full list of patterns in the 7 most common Zelle scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a Zelle request is a scam?
Be cautious if the request comes from someone you don't know, arrives unexpectedly, asks you to pay before you receive something, creates urgency, or claims to be from your bank or a government agency. Requests to send money to yourself, refund an overpayment, or pay a fee to receive money are scams.
Will my bank ever ask me to send money with Zelle?
No. Your bank will not ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else to protect your account or reverse a charge. If someone claiming to be your bank asks this, hang up and call the number on the back of your card.
Is it safe to accept a Zelle payment from a stranger?
Receiving money is generally low risk, but be careful if the sender then claims they overpaid and asks for money back, or if an email says the payment is pending until you pay a fee. Only trust payments you can see in your banking app.
Does this checker store my answers?
No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are not sent to us or anyone else.