How to safely pay strangers online (and spot a scam before it’s too late)

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Rocky Fong

Credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks, wires, or sending money to others using a P2P (person-to-person) payment app are many examples of the ways consumers can pay for everyday transactions. To help protect their money from scammers, it’s important for people to understand that how they pay matters, especially when buying something from someone they don’t know or trust.

Rocky Fong, Community Manager in Seattle at Chase, outlines examples of common scams impacting payment types:

Checks

Although declining in usage, many people still regularly use checks, particularly for business transactions. Check fraud can happen in various ways, such as writing bad checks, stealing and altering someone else’s check, forging a check, or depositing the same check twice (once through a mobile app and again at a branch).

• Here’s what you can do: Never make checks out to “cash.” Use permanent ink, and write the amount in numbers and words. Don’t leave a check book unattended and always send a check directly from the post office or through secured mailboxes. Don’t leave them for pickup in your mailbox at home. When possible, opt for electronic payment methods instead of checks.

Person-to-person payments

Person-to-person payments through services like Zelle® can be a quick and convenient way to send money to others you know and trust (e.g., friends and family or your dog walker). Don’t use Zelle to buy things online, especially through social media marketplaces or messaging apps. If you send money for something that turns out to be a scam, it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to get it back.

• Here’s what you can do: If you are purchasing goods or merchandise, including things like concert tickets, a credit or debit card that offers purchase protection may be a better option. If at any time you feel pressured, the deal seems too good to be true, or you otherwise suspect it’s a scam, don’t proceed with the purchase.

Credit and debit cards

When you pay with a credit or debit card, you are not responsible for unauthorized charges if your card is lost, stolen, or fraudulently used, as long as you report unauthorized charges promptly. Use your card’s security features to help keep it safe.

• Here’s what you can do: Two-factor authentication can help block anyone who gets your banking information from using it, and setting up credit monitoring helps you know if your card is used fraudulently. Keep your card safe. If you misplace it or think it is lost or stolen, contact your bank immediately, and lock your card from additional charges.

Scammers may try to get you to send a payment to them to pay for something (like concert tickets) that you then never receive. Credit and debit cards may offer some protections that can help you get your money back for purchases you make if you don’t receive what you paid for. If you pay with a credit card, your bank will likely reimburse you for your payment if you don’t receive the goods. If you paid with a debit card, your bank will try to get your money back from the scammer’s bank, but if the scammer has disappeared with your money, they won’t be able to get the funds back, and your bank is not required to reimburse you.

• Here’s what you can do: Watch out for sellers who require forms of payment that do not provide purchase protection. Before you pay, always ask yourself, “Am I sure this is not a scam?” Always remember: If you’re unsure, walk away.

Wire transfers

Wire transfers are convenient and secure, and they work like cash. Send a wire only when you know the details of the recipient and never feel pressured or urged to send one. Wire transfers are a target for scammers because they are often used for high dollar transactions—like homes or cars—and once sent, they cannot be reversed. Scammers can impersonate companies, banks, and government agencies to quickly receive your hard-earned money, move it to another account, and disappear.

• Here’s what you can do: Never provide your bank account details to unfamiliar or suspicious individuals and avoid wiring money to people or businesses you are unfamiliar with, especially if prompted by suspicious phone calls or emails.

In a world of growing payment options, it’s important that people make informed choices about how to pay for purchases, especially when buying from a person or business you aren’t familiar with, to help keep their money safe.

Learn more about protecting your finances at chase.com/digital/resources/privacy-security.

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For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described in this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content.

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