JPMorgan Chase class action alleges bank does not help customers victimized by Zelle fraud

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Chase Zelle fraud class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Keanna Curtis filed a class action lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., and Early Warning Services d/b/a Zellepay.com. 
• Why: Curtis claims Chase fails to assist consumers who contact it for help after falling victim to fraud on peer-to-peer payment platform Zelle. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

JPMorgan Chase fails to help consumers who fall victim to fraud on the peer-to-peer payment platform Zelle, instead blaming them for having it happen to them, a new class action lawsuit alleges

Plaintiff Keanna Curtis claims Chase Bank—a partial owner of Zelle—has a corporate policy of “blaming the victim” when a Zelle fraud victim comes to them for help

Curtis argues Chase, meanwhile, has a “huge incentive” to “get as many consumers as possible” to sign up for and use Zelle for payments and money transfers

“The more consumers it can persuade to set up an account and use Zelle, the more money the Bank saves by avoiding transaction payments to other payment networks,” states the Chase class action.

Curtis claims Chase works with Zelle to “aggressively market” the service to its consumers and account holders, while allegedly deceptively representing that the platform is safe and “omitting any warnings regarding the acute and immediate risk of fraud

“Victims of Zelle fraud, like Plaintiff, are often left devastated by such fraud, which can drain hundreds or thousands of dollars from their bank accounts,” states the Chase class action. 

Proposed class consists of consumers not permanently credited in full within 45 days of filing 

Curtis wants to represent a nationwide class and New York subclass of Chase Bank customers who had their account debited after a transaction on the bank’s and/or Zelle’s mobile application and were not permanently credited in full within 45 days of filing a dispute

Chase and Zelle are accused of unjust enrichment, breach of contract, and negligence, and of violating the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and New York General Business Law

Plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory and injunctive relief along with an award of actual and treble damages for herself and all class members

A number of similar class action lawsuits have been filed this year against banks — including Bank of America, Capital One, Navy Federal Credit Union, Wells Fargo — by consumers arguing they didn’t do enough to safeguard them from fraudulent activity on Zelle

Have you fallen victim to fraud on Zelle? Let us know in the comments

The plaintiffs are represented by Abbas Kazerounian and Jason A. Ibey of Kazerouni Law Group, APC, and Laura R. Gerber, Derek W. Loeser, and Nathan L. Nanfelt of Keller Rohrback L.L.P

The Chase Zelle Fraud class action lawsuit is Curtis, et al. v. JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-10286, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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