Consumer complaint received 2024-01-31
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Early Warning Services, LLC (OR)

I was selling {$200.00} snow tires on XXXX. I was contacted through messenger by the buyer named XXXX XXXX. He said hed either XXXX or Zelle me the amount of {$240.00} for the tires and delivery. I asked for XXXX and provided my account info. He then asked for my email. I provided it to him. He then asked if Id received the money yet. I searched my bank and email and text messages and informed him I had not. We agreed on XXXX, then he switched to Zelle @  XXXX I have a baseball cap in the image I will need your email I am making the transfer from my business? count Then I received a series of impatient follow-upss Sent Kindly confirm Have you rec XXXX? 
Not yet Kindly check your email for confirmation Ok Give me a minute to check again after loading Have you goi the money Have you gotten the money Check your email Sorry nothing yet. Nothing at bank, no email, no text Do you have a snap shot or a confirmation number Check your XXXX XXXX  there should be a co.. irmation Check your email there should be a confirmation there No peeps in name in email, right? 
Is it because the bank isn't open yet? 
Check your XXXX I you should have gotten the email This then turned into a series of phone calls. I kept losing him because I was checking back home to see if the validity o of the money transfer was legit. 
email XXXXXXXX XXXX Group audio call Tap to join XXXX joined the call. 
The c nded. 
Why are you not picking up the call? 
On phone with other person, one moment please Call now Group audio call Tap to join Group audio call Tap to join XXXX joined the call. 
You joined the call. 
You joined the call. 
The call ended. 
About them I recorded an email XXXX XXXX : C ( no subject ) Inbox zelle XXXX Zellepay ( XXXX... XXXX XXXX to me ~ Display images limited and not a business account therefore we can't credit the payment into your account, so we need you to contact the sender of the payment to transfer the amount of $ XXXX to your Zelle account so it can be changed to a business account and be credited immediately with $ XXXX into your Zelle account. 
Zelle customer service NOTE : An alert has been sent to your buyer in regards to the $ XXXX additional payment to send we will secure this transaction with high priority that neither the buyer nor the seller will lose a dime in this transaction. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX It just arrived Thank you. See you soon Kindly go thre sh the email I was driving to drop off location, so I did not have time to read the email thoroughly. I called home for them to research, while I headed close to the destination, but away to the bank I use. I walked inside the bank to ask a teller about the validity of the email I received. 
He, the buyer, seemed to be familiar with the email and without hesitation sent another {$300.00} through Zelle. 
He then followed up by asking multiple times for confirmation Id received the email Kindly go through the email it saying pending payment I got a mail from zelle that I need to send an additional {$300.00} as a business account to you Why do you keep away from the con ' sation Group audio call Tap to join XXXX joined the call. 
You joined the call. 
You joined the call. 
The call ended. 
I have sent the the additional pa. 
ent of I have sent the the additional payment of {$300.00} Did you get that? 
Call me back when you are ready Group audio call Tap to XXXX By now Ive been updating the teller scenario to determine my best course of action from here. 
I asked for his Zelle account profile and he shared something that surprised me XXXX audio call Tap to join XXXX joined the call. 
You joined the call. 
You joined the call. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX jonred the call. 
The name of a womans account. 
I was stalling now because I wasnt sure how to close or contact, and I could hear he was getting more insistent on me t taking action to send him {$300.00} because he over paid the tires at {$520.00}, and his Zelle ensured his money was safe, while I knowingly have an overdrawn account Gotten my zelle? 
I lost the call again. One sec. I'll text when it's ok Have you followed the instructions you received from them? 
Yes. I'm ensuring the funds come K to you Yes I am waiting for that so we can meet up as agreed Yes, I'm getting gas and will be right there So send the {$300.00} so I can also be sorted and head to you Next, he was concerned I if Id transferred money back to him. I had no intention of moving money around Completed that? 
So I need to head out too XXXX XXXX XXXX audio call Tap to join XXXX joined the call. 
You joir y he call. 
You inined the call Finally I accepted one more request from him You joined the call. 
The call ended. 
I just contacted zelle they ask you reply the mail they sent you Sorry, I'm Then I closed the conversation Sorry, I'm no longer confident you are paying for tires in a legit way. I'm submitting fraud reports to my bank. XXXX. US ATTORNEYS, FBI and XXXX XXXX XXXX. Good luck you criminal Id like make it known that the account he used did not match the email he later gave XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Also, the website linked at the bottom of the emails was not the banks Zelle, instated out came from chat @ XXXX In addition the website was Zellepay.com, which does not look legit for banking. 

Here are the two emails I recorded CONGRATULATIONS!!! you have received an additional payment of ( {$300.00} USD ) Payment Details : ( Routing Code : XXXX ) Your Zelle account has been Upgraded/Expanded to a BUSINESS ACCOUNT : You have received an additional payment of ( {$300.00} USD ) and your account will be fully credited with the total sum of ( {$540.00} USD ). 

Your funds are now safe with us and for buyer 's safety, the additional payment has to be refunded ( FIRST ) for your account to be fully credited with the total sum of ( {$540.00} USD ). 

Final steps to follow : 1. Get your Zelle account ready.

2. Contact the sender for their Zelle information to refund back ( {$300.00} USD ). 
3. Take a picture of the total sum of ( {$300.00} USD ) been successfully sent and reply to this email for verification of refund so we can release the total sum of ( {$540.00} USD ). 

IMPORTANT NOTE : YOUR FUNDS HAS BEEN APPROVED AND SECURED SO YOU ARE TO CARRY ON WITH THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN ABOVE FOR YOUR ACCOUNT TO BE FULLY CREDITED WITH THE TOTAL SUM OF ( {$540.00} USD ). 

Thanks for choosing Zelle and we are looking forward to serving all our valuable customers better. 
Thank you for using Zelle Service Zellepay ( Zellepay.com ) - Chat @ XXXX  XXXX On XX/XX/year> at XXXX XXXX, XXXX Zellepay XXXX XXXX XXXX wrote : YOU RECEIVED $ XXXX with Zelle You have XXXX XXXX payment of $ XXXX Im XXXX, your transaction administrator and we should be crediting your account now but we noticed your account has been limited and not a business account therefore we cant credit the payment into your account, so we need you to contact the sender of the payment to transfer the amount of $ XXXX to your Zelle account so it can be changed to a business account and be credited immediately with $ XXXX into your Zelle account. 

Zelle customer service NOTE : An alert has been sent to your buyer in regards to the $ XXXX additional payment to send we will secure this transaction with high priority that neither the buyer nor the seller will lose a dime in this transaction. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX To learn more, reply back to this confirmation email. 
Have a problem? Contact us by replying our email. 

7 days a week, XXXX XXXX. 

Mon. XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ET, except XXXX, XXXX & XXXX XXXX Days. 

Early Warning Services , LLC XXXX : XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX year Early Warning Services , LLC XXXX 
Zelle and the Zelle related marks and logos are property of Early Warning Services , LLC Service Zellepay ( Zellepay.com ) - Chat @ XXXX XXXXXXXX Notice several websites embedded in the email. They further supported the fraudulent transferring of funds for malicious intent. 

Hope this help your case.