CFPB Sues America's Largest Banks For 'Allowing Fraud To Fester' on Zelle

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing America's three largest banks, accusing the institutions of failing to protect customers from fraud on Zelle, the payment platform they co-own. From a report: According to the suit, which also targets Early Warning Services LLC, Zelle's official operator, Zelle users have lost more than $870 million over the network's seven-year existence due to these alleged failures. 'The nation's largest banks felt threatened by competing payment apps, so they rushed to put out Zelle,' said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra in a statement. 'By their failing to put in place proper safeguards, Zelle became a gold mine for fraudsters, while often leaving victims to fend for themselves.'

Among the charges:
1. Poor identity verification methods, which have allowed bad actors to quickly create accounts and target Zelle users.
2. Allowing repeat offenders to continue to gain access to the platform
3. Ignoring and failing to report instances of fraud
4. Failing to properly investigate consumer complaints

The CFPB's suit seeks to change the platform's operations, as well as obtain a civil money penalty, that would be paid into the CFPB's victims relief fund.

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