Just an observation and in no way a slam at the OP. The problem is people's expectation of instant gratification and an unwillingness to wait for something they want.

I've had a PayPal account forever but nothing else. I try to limit transactions using it going either way to $200. More than that it's a snail mail payment with clearance - again both ways. If someone won't wait, oh well. There are other buyers and sellers.

Credit cards I use single use virtual account numbers. My little local bank doesn't do Zelle so I have that as an excuse when people want to use that.

If you know about where she is, ie. Las Vegas, I would try contacting the Las Vegas police department and specifically their fraud/financial crimes division. Be careful what you say and to not make accusations; I am not saying that she committed a crime by not returning the funds and you don't want to say that.

But, I'd explain the situation and ask if they could help, perhaps to get your information and verify it, and then contact her to let her know that it is not a scam. They may just tell you that it's a civil matter and to buzz off, but they may be willing to help. If so, just them contacting her may scare her into paying it back, if indeed she has no intention of returning it. If she is legitimately concerned about it being a scam, maybe she'll give it to the P.D. and they can send it back to you.

I think calling the cops as suggested might get you some help/advice, especially if you frame it with the idea of trying to show her you aren’t scamming her.
I don’t think calling her at odd hours and harassing her will help your case - as you said, this was completely your fuckup. If she is really so evil she wouldn’t return money that wasn’t hers, karma will be around, but I wouldn’t harass.

The only other thing I can think of doing is hiring a private investigator to visit her at her house and ask for the money back.

Over the years I've heard numerous instances of banks depositing money in the wrong account and the recipients spending the money before the error was noticed. In all of the cases the individuals were threatened with criminal charges if the money wasn't returned. How is this any different? The individual knows the money isn't rightly theirs so they are obligated to return it. As others have suggested I'd contact the local PD to the receiver to see if they could assist.

Somewhat related: I just got an E-mail from my bank saying telephone and text message frauds were on the increase, with scammers masquerading as your bank. The warning specifically mentioned Zelle and my bank has put a limit on Zelle transactions for the time being.

For all of those who are saying to get the police involved, it will do no good.

Think of Zelle like this. You walk up someone on the street. You hand them $1,300 in cash and then walk away. That person stands there dumbfounded for a moment, but then walks away also.

In this scenario, how would you recover the $1,300? And do you even have any further right to it? That is basically what happened in this instance, just electronic.

I hope the best for you, but I think she sees this a a windfall and will try to keep it. Not familiar with Zelle, so No ideas on recourse. May be an expensive lesson to the rest of us on your dime

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
Go into YOUR bank immediately. Zelle ultimately is through your bank. I did the same once but was able to unsend it 20 minutes later on my phone app. Try that, but if that doesn't work go into your bank. Banking errors occur with checks and stuff sometimes, and they're able to pull the money back.

First you better re-read the Zelle "Terms and Conditions". Last time I checked, even though Zelle is owned by a few banks (unlike Venmo that is not a bank), transactions through the service are not insured. From what I've witnessed over time, transactions sent with these services are a send and pray affair. If you want to split a dinner check or send your brother $20 for something, have at it. Anything more expensive, find a much safer and IMO, more legitimate) means of payment. Unfortunately I think the op is likely SOL on this one.

quote:

Originally posted by Keystoner:

quote:

Originally posted by Marc1911:
I have reached out to my bank to dispute the transfer but am told that my chances are slim to none that they will be able to accomplish this and that my best bet is to contact the person and ask them to return the money.

I sympathize with your predicament. It's bull that your bank/Zelle won't follow up on this. This seems like a simple CC dispute. How hard would it be for the bank/Zelle to verify that Maria didn't send you anything?

You apparently don't get the new paradigm on payments. With all these direct payment services, the bank basically sits the sidelines while the money flows. This is not like processing payroll or sending a wire transfer where a bank is intimately involved in the process. All of these services are marketed to millenials who are big on convenience and short on any common sense and/or knowledge of banking and finance.

Functionally you're correct. Legally maybe not. The OP may have a case, but more likely civil than criminal. But a civil case like this is going to take money to pursue. That amount of money is likely more than the amount in question, and even if he wins, he might not get legal fees/expenses granted. So from a money standpoint, it doesn't pay to try.

quote:

Originally posted by holdem:
For all of those who are saying to get the police involved, it will do no good.

Think of Zelle like this. You walk up someone on the street. You hand them $1,300 in cash and then walk away. That person stands there dumbfounded for a moment, but then walks away also.

In this scenario, how would you recover the $1,300? And do you even have any further right to it? That is basically what happened in this instance, just electronic.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
Go into YOUR bank immediately. Zelle ultimately is through your bank. I did the same once but was able to unsend it 20 minutes later on my phone app. Try that, but if that doesn't work go into your bank. Banking errors occur with checks and stuff sometimes, and they're able to pull the money back.

First you better re-read the Zelle "Terms and Conditions". Last time I checked, even though Zelle is owned by a few banks (unlike Venmo that is not a bank), transactions through the service are not insured. From what I've witnessed over time, transactions sent with these services are a send and pray affair. If you want to split a dinner check or send your brother $20 for something, have at it. Anything more expensive, find a much safer and IMO, more legitimate) means of payment. Unfortunately I think the op is likely SOL on this one.

I've sent and recieved $10,000s of dollars with Zelle and have never had so much as a hiccup. Yes it is not insured, but I've never heard of someone not recieving a payment that was sent correctly.

Unfortunately I agree that the OP is most likely out of luck and someone got a $1300 Christmas present they never expected.

quote:

You apparently don't get the new paradigm on payments. With all these direct payment services, the bank basically sits the sidelines while the money flows. This is not like processing payroll or sending a wire transfer where a bank is intimately involved in the process. All of these services are marketed to millenials who are big on convenience and short on any common sense and/or knowledge of banking and finance.

I don’t think that fairly characterizes the banks’ roles with Zelle. As noted, these are ACH transactions that normally involve credit / settlement risk. But when both customers are enrolled in Zelle thru their respective banks, the seller’s bank assumes that risk in order to provide ready funds to the seller before the transfer formally clears / settles with the buyer’s bank. Especially as a seller, I view that as a significant benefit. Such also should benefit the buyer since the seller should be willing / able to ship the product sooner if that shipment was to await the “clearing of the check”.

Why don't you request the money back through Zelle and maybe that bitch will grow a conscience.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:
fastpeoplesearch.com
truepeoplesearch.com

try the phone number in those.

i always send $1 to any new zelle person and wait for confirmation before sending large amounts.

i mainly only use it for contacts in my phone so i don't accidentally send money to the wrong person.

Chowser - Any idea how accurate these sites are in identifying the "owner" of a cell phone number?

According to both sites the owner of that cell number lives only 30 miles away and lists a landline number as well. I would like a little more validation of the information before I call the person.

Have you tried contacting the recipient's bank? They will probably play dumb like your bank is doing, but it can't hurt. When banks make mistakes with deposits and transfers, they can easily reverse or correct them. They obviously can do that with Zelle, they are just choosing not to.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
Have you tried contacting the recipient's bank? They will probably play dumb like your bank is doing, but it can't hurt. When banks make mistakes with deposits and transfers, they can easily reverse or correct them. They obviously can do that with Zelle, they are just choosing not to.

I have no idea who their bank is. I only have a telephone number. Zelle deidentifies everything except their phone number and email address, and since I entered the phone number in error I do not even have the email address.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc1911:

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
Have you tried contacting the recipient's bank? They will probably play dumb like your bank is doing, but it can't hurt. When banks make mistakes with deposits and transfers, they can easily reverse or correct them. They obviously can do that with Zelle, they are just choosing not to.

I have no idea who their bank is. I only have a telephone number. Zelle deidentifies everything except their phone number and email address, and since I entered the phone number in error I do not even have the email address.

Can't your bank identify the bank the money was transferred to? There has to be an electronic record of the transaction.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
they are just choosing not to.

The banks are not obliged to, the service was never designed to. It's not the banks place to arbitrate something like this.

A service that was designed to and be used as: "a way to send and receive money between family, friends, and people you know in general" has problems when used as a way to pay for goods and services? Who'd of thought.

The link on the first page describes how to "Cancel a Zelle Payment if You Sent Money to the Wrong Person". That seems to be your only recourse- Have you done that?

quote:

Originally posted by braillediver:

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
they are just choosing not to.

The banks are not obliged to, the service was never designed to. It's not the banks place to arbitrate something like this.

I get that, but it's still a business decision they have made. And a shitty one if you believe part of the function of a bank is to protect their customers' money.