Is your Zelle payment not received? Don’t fret. While Zelle usually only takes a few minutes to complete transactions, sometimes obstacles can hinder the process. Luckily, there are multiple fixes you can try to circumvent this issue. Here are some things you can attempt when your Zelle payment not received poses a problem.
Also read: Zelle Payment Pending
Zelle Payment Not Received: What To Do
Having trouble with your Zelle payment not being received? Below are a few things you may like to try to settle the problem.
1. Ensure The Recipient Has Enrolled
If your Zelle payment was sent but not received, the problem may be with enrollment. That’s because Zelle recipients can only receive the money sent to them when they’ve registered an account. Hence, if the Zelle payment is not received problem arises, it’s the most likely culprit.
Luckily, it’s fairly easy to sort out this concern. Simply ask the recipient to enroll with Zelle (or link their partner bank with the platform) to proceed. On the other hand, if you’re the recipient, then the answer is similar. Just register the mobile number or email address the sender used to give you cash using Zelle.
You may achieve this via the app or your partner bank. The process for signing up may differ per partner bank. However, you’ll generally need to log in and just enroll in your Zelle profile. You may also employ the Zelle app to start an account. Moreover, ensure that you should get a Zelle confirmation number to verify your account and finish enrollment.
2. Check Your Inbox
If you’re the recipient, you must check your mobile number or email inbox if you’ve received cash through Zelle. That’s because the platform always notifies its recipients whenever they receive money through the service.
Hence, if there’s no message in your inbox, then the problem may be an incorrectly entered number or email. As a result, we suggest notifying the sender and telling them about the lack of notification. This should prompt them to double-check the number or email they entered in the recipient’s field.
Luckily, if this is the case, the sender may easily cancel the transaction through the app or their bank. However, it may be complicated if the email or number they sent it to has an owner. In the event of this, the sender may not get their money back — and you might not receive any, either. Make sure to coordinate with the sender closely in such scenarios.
3. Double-check The Email Or Mobile Number
If you’re the sender, we recommend checking the receiver’s email or number that you entered. That’s because incorrectly entering the email or mobile number will render your Zelle payment not received.
This will mean that you’ve sent money to nobody because the details you entered don’t have an owner. In this scenario, we suggest simply canceling your transaction and then trying again. Make sure that this time, you key in the right information before making a transaction.
However, if the incorrect number or email has an owner, they may receive the money you send. As such, you may not cancel your transaction or get your cash back.
4. Follow-Up With The Sender
Sometimes, a sender’s Zelle payment not received by you could simply occur because the sender hasn’t made the transaction. Hence, the issue isn’t with the app or platform itself but with the sender.
In such instances, we recommend simply contacting the sender to follow up on your payment. You can also request payment directly with the app. Just enter the other party’s US mobile number or email address and add the amount you’d like to request.
Afterward, you can add a memo and press “confirm” on the app. This should notify the sender to send the amount to your account.
5. Make Sure The Recipient Isn’t Blocked
If your Zelle payment failed, one reason behind this incident is that the recipient’s account may be blocked. This applies regardless of whether the bank or Zelle itself is blocking the account. As a result, your Zelle payment not received will likely not be received at all.
This happens when Zelle or the bank detects malicious or suspicious activity on the person’s account. Usually, their staff will review transaction histories and block accounts that have dubious transactions.
Unfortunately, the most you can try in this circumstance is by asking the recipient to contact Zelle or their bank. Most institutions are willing to negotiate and dispute over matters like these. However, it may be wise to use a different financial platform in the meantime as they deliberate on the account.
6. Check Zelle Or Your Bank’s Servers
At times, your Zelle payment not received issue occurs because there’s a problem with Zelle’s (or your bank’s) servers. This may be a rare occurrence. Nonetheless, it can certainly be a hindrance if you’re trying to send or receive money with the service.
However, in these scenarios, there’s nothing you can truly do to mitigate the problem. You only need to wait until Zelle or the bank resolves their server issues. When the servers are working once more, you can proceed with your transaction. Regardless, you may need to wait hours (or a few days, in the worst case) to use it again.
If you suspect a server problem, we recommend verifying your suspicions by contacting Zelle or your bank. You can reach Zelle at 844-428-8542 and ask customer service personnel for information.
7. Check The Bank Account’s Active Status
Zelle works by transferring money between not only people’s Zelle accounts but also their banks. Zelle’s main attraction is that it allows instant bank transfers without worrying about fees.
Thus, a potential reason why your Zelle payment not received problem is occurring is because of the bank’s inactive status. Make sure the bank account of the recipient is active.
Furthermore, it should not only be open but also be in good standing and have a positive balance. The account should also have no legal issues related to it. Otherwise, there could be problems regarding Zelle payments if the account has a precarious status.
8. Check With Your Bank Or Credit Union’s Customer Support
If your Zelle payment is funded but not received in Chase, Bank of America, or any other bank, it can be frustrating. However, in such instances, the problem usually doesn’t fall with Zelle or its app.
That’s because these things only occur when there’s a problem with the bank. If according to Zelle, the payment has been made, it may not be a problem on their end. Therefore, we suggest contacting your local bank’s customer service number for better guidance.
Their staff should be able to check whether your transaction pushed through or not. They will also tell you if there may be any delays or obstacles that might be hindering the transaction. Above all, their customer support personnel can guide you through the steps to take to mitigate any problems.
9. Cancel The Transaction
If your Zelle payment is pending review and the other issues aren’t it, we recommend canceling the transaction. This is a last resort if your payment truly isn’t pushing through. There could be problems with Zelle — whether it’s their app or website — in this case.
Fortunately, you may revoke payments if they’re still pending or the recipient hasn’t registered with Zelle. The procedure is pretty straightforward with the app. Just navigate to the “Activity” page and look for the transaction. Then press “Cancel” or “Stop this payment” to cancel the transaction.
When Should You Contact Zelle?
If none of the above fixes work, then it’s time to call their customer support hotline. That’s because the problem is likely occurring due to issues on Zelle’s app or server. Your account may also be having problems, so it’s best to verify this with them.
Unfortunately, Zelle’s customer service isn’t open 24/7. Hence, you can only reach them from 10 am to 10 pm ET. However, they are open seven days a week, except for Christmas, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day. You may call them at 1-844-428-8542.
Alternatively, you may also report your concern through their online form. Zelle should respond via email in two business days.
Reasons For Not Receiving Zelle Payment
Why aren’t your payments being received? This is a tough question to answer if you’re new to the app and don’t know Zelle’s payment processing policies. With that said, how does Zelle work and what reasons could there be to hinder your payment? Here are the most common potential causes:
- The recipient’s number or email is not registered with Zelle
- Your recipient’s bank information has an incorrect routing or account number
- Zelle or the local bank has blocked your recipient’s account
- Technical problems are occurring in Zelle or your bank’s servers
- The account you’re sending to is inactive or closed
- You entered an incorrect number or email for the recipient
Zelle Alternatives
If Zelle is not working for you, then you don’t have to keep using it. Several other alternative platforms offer similar services. Here are the best alternatives you can try in 2023.
1. Cash App
Cash App is a popular peer-to-peer payment platform that lets you directly send money to other users. It also acts as a digital wallet you can use to make payments to physical and online merchants.
Like similar services, Cash App also offers a Visa debit card and partnerships with other services like DoorDash. However, you do not need a bank account to get started with Cash. Moreover, it’s free to use and deposits into your bank have no associated fees.
2. PayPal
PayPal is arguably the largest online financial platform in the world. It’s an international company, offering services to folks both inside and outside the United States. With it, you can send money to other users, make online payments, and even register for a credit card.
The app also handles in-house investments in cryptocurrencies if you’re interested in investments. It’s also one of the largest payment platforms that most online merchants will accept. Best of all, you don’t require a bank account to begin registering with PayPal.
3. Venmo
Venmo is one of the largest Zelle alternatives that works as a digital wallet. Like Cash App, it’s a peer-to-peer payment platform you can use to exchange money with friends, family, or even vendors.
You only need to link your bank account or debit/credit card to begin. Moreover, the app will ask for your mobile number to proceed with creating an account. However, unlike Zelle, Venmo’s money is transferred between Venmo accounts instead of between banks. Furthermore, you cannot send money to users who are not account holders.
FAQs
The Bottom Line
Whenever you encounter a Zelle payment not received, it’s frustrating at first. However, there’s usually a reasonable cause behind this issue and you can just as easily resolve it. Just make sure to go through the fixes we’ve outlined above one by one to fix the problem. Otherwise, contact Zelle’s customer support staff for further assistance.
