JPMorgan Chase Bank (Chase) is about to implement new restrictions on Zelle payments to combat a sharp increase in scams exploiting the digital payment service.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against Chase and Zelle, accusing the companies of failing “to protect consumers from widespread fraud.”

Chase Bank is going to make it harder to use Zelle for transactions stemming from social media. In an update to its policy on Zelle, Chase says it may “decline or block” payments related to purchases from social media marketplaces or messaging apps, as spotted earlier by Bleeping Computer.

The policy, which will go into effect on March 23rd, 2025, will mark a level of increased scrutiny from Chase on any transaction that appears to be for an online purchase made through social media—whether that is buying something from an online marketplace or making a trade with a connection from a Reddit community.

Scams on Zelle, the digital payments app, have apparently gotten so widespread that Chase Bank is moving to block users from sending payments to social media contacts. Chase updated its user policy, indicating it may block these sorts of payments.

"If you are sending a Zelle payment from your Chase account that is identified as originating from contact through social media, we may, in our discretion, delay, decline, or block that payment," according to a revised Zelle service agreement first spotted by BleepingComputer.

In today's Tech Bytes, ABC's Andrew Dymburt has the shares, Chase will soon block Zelle payments to sellers on social media and more.

JPMorgan Chase Bank (Chase) will soon start blocking Zelle payments to social media contacts to combat a significant rise in online scams utilizing the service for fraud.