Paying someone new? Know your protections.

Before paying an unfamiliar recipient

Zelle recommends against using it when you do not know the person or are unsure you will receive what you paid for. It does not offer purchase protection for items that never arrive or differ from the description.

Payments to enrolled Zelle recipients cannot be canceled. That makes checking the person, amount, and purpose important before you send.

Match the payment to the purchase

Some services offer purchase protection for eligible transactions. For example, PayPal distinguishes personal payments from goods-and-services payments. Eligibility, exclusions, documentation, fees, and deadlines matter.

A recipient asking you to use a personal payment for a purchase may be steering you away from purchase protection. Read the provider’s current terms before paying.

• Use a marketplace’s protected checkout when appropriate and review its terms.
• Verify what you are buying and who is selling it.
• Keep the listing, agreed price, delivery terms, and messages.
• Do not treat a small successful test payment as proof that the seller is trustworthy.

Sellers need checks too

Open your own banking or payment app to confirm receipt. A screenshot or email is not proof of payment. If unexpected money appears and someone requests a separate payment back, contact your bank rather than acting on the sender’s instructions.