Zelle®101: How to stay safe and secure when sending money

You asked. Now, we’re answering your call for a quick, convenient, easy way to send money safely to friends, family and others you trust. You can now find Zelle^® in the top-rated Desert Financial mobile app! That means whether you’re splitting the cost of dinner, evening up on monthly bills or paying a small business, you can do it right on your mobile device in a matter of minutes.¹

Of course, we’re just as excited as you are. Zelle^® is fast and convenient! But just because it’s easy doesn’t mean you should ignore safety. There are a few simple steps you can take and habits you can adopt to help you avoid scams and help ensure your transactions always come and go to the right person! Here are a few Zelle^® safety tips you need to know.

1. Set up Zelle^® in the Desert Financial mobile app

Just like using Zelle^®, setting it up in the Desert Financial mobile app is easy. Plus, if you already have the mobile app, you have a head start! If you don’t, simply download it from the App Store or Google Play and log in.

Once you’re logged in and at the mobile app home screen, follow these steps:

1. Select More > Pay and Transfer > Send Money With Zelle.
2. Enroll using your email address or U.S. mobile number.
3. Start sending and receiving money with Zelle^®!

2. Only send money to those you trust

Zelle^® should only be used with friends, family and others you trust. Why? Because you can’t cancel a payment once it’s been sent, if the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle^®. And if you send money to someone you don’t know, or you do not get what you expected, you may not get your money back.

3. Treat Zelle^® like cash

Sure, you may not reach into your wallet, pull out a Zelle^® payment and hand it to your friend who just covered the tab at dinner, but you should treat it similarly to cash. So, just like cash, once you send money to an enrolled recipient, it belongs to the other person.

While you may be able to ask your friend for your $20 bill back, you can’t cancel your Zelle^® payment if the recipient is already enrolled.

4. Beware of payment scams

If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, a stranger selling concert tickets at a steep discount and insisting you pay with Zelle^® might be a scam.

Neither Desert Financial nor Zelle^® offers purchase protection for payments made with Zelle^® — for example, if you do not receive the item you paid for, or the item is not as described or as you expected.

5. Confirm your recipient’s contact information

Make sure you have the correct U.S. mobile number or email address for the person you want to send money to. When in doubt, contact your friend to double check. If you authorize a payment to be sent to the wrong person, you may not get your money back.

6. Understand your payment options

If you don’t know a person or aren’t sure you’ll get what you paid for, using your credit card may be a better payment option. Check the terms and conditions of your credit card to see what type of purchase protection is offered.

7. Sign up for text or email alerts

When you log in to Online Banking or our mobile app, you can set up alerts to let you know about transactions, account changes, potential fraud attempts and more. That is a great way to key into everything that’s going on with your accounts.

You can also use it to keep track of every move, including suspicious Zelle^® transactions. Even though neither Desert Financial nor Zelle^® offers purchase protection for payments made with Zelle^®, we are still here to help you if you suspect unauthorized activity.

8. Use strong passwords

Because Zelle^® transactions take place within Online Banking, it’s crucial to use strong passwords to protect your account. That often means mixing uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Also, the longer the better when it comes to passwords.

You can also use tools like password managers to store those complex passkeys. That eliminates the need to remember them or write them down, all while giving you access to your accounts when you need it.

Let’s start using Zelle^®!

Now that you know how to use Zelle^® to send money safely, it’s time to get started! Check it out right in our top-rated mobile app, and be sure to give us a call if you have any questions. Always remember, we’re here to help, and we look forward to being with you as you start moving money quickly and easily.