How to Write a Zelle Dispute Request. Hint: There Is No Protection. But Try This.

Zelle has no buyer protection. I learned this the hard way when I lost $500 to a scammer. But here is what you can try. If you were tricked into sending money, call your bank immediately and say: "I did not authorize this transaction. Someone tricked me into sending money from my account." The distinction between "I authorized the payment but was scammed" and "I did not authorize the payment" is critical. If you authorized it, your bank will not help. If you report it as unauthorized, they must investigate under Regulation E. I got $300 back from Bank of America using this approach. The bank credited the amount while they investigated. The scammer's bank had to cover the loss. Do not lie to your bank. But make sure you use the correct terminology: unauthorized vs. scam.