Zelle® FAQ

Question 1

What is Zelle® and how do I access it?

Answer

Zelle® is a convenient way to send, receive and request money quickly, safely and securely. Get money to and from friends, family and other people you know who have a bank account in the U.S. by using the USAA Mobile App on your Android or Apple mobile device.‍ ‍^,‍ ‍

To use Zelle®:

Log on to the USAA Mobile App.
Choose "Zelle®."

Zelle® is also available on the mobile banking apps of many other participating banks and credit unions. Learn more about sending and receiving money with Zelle® on the Zelle® website.

Question 2

Are there any fees to send money using Zelle®?

Answer

No. USAA Federal Savings Bank doesn't charge any fees to use Zelle® in the USAA app. Your mobile carrier's messaging and data rates may apply.

Question 3

How do I add recipients?

Answer

Log on to the USAA Mobile App.
Select "Zelle®."
Choose "Send."
Select "+", then "Add New Recipient" will be displayed.
Tap "Select From Contacts" to import a recipient's information into your Zelle® contacts. You can also enter a trusted recipient's information manually.
Choose the appropriate recipient type — "Personal" or "Business."
Zelle® should only be used to send money to friends, family and others (including eligible businesses) you trust. Neither USAA Federal Savings Bank nor Zelle® offers a protection program for any authorized payments made with Zelle®.

To prevent delays, make sure you use the recipient's U.S. mobile number or email address that's enrolled with Zelle®. If you send money to someone who is not yet enrolled, they will receive a notification with instructions on how to quickly enroll to receive your money. Remember, only send money to friends, family and others you know and trust.

Question 4

Why am I being asked additional questions about my account activity?

Answer

We ask these questions to understand you better and how you'll use your account. You can still send or receive money regardless of how you answer.

Question 5

How can I view or change my Zelle® settings?

Answer

To review or edit your information:

Log on to the USAA Mobile App.
Select "Zelle®."
Choose "Menu" in the top right corner for iOS or choose the three vertical dots in the top right corner for Android.
Select "Receive Money Settings."
Select "Edit" next to the U.S. mobile number or email address you want to change or cancel.

Question 6

Is my information secure?

Answer

We will not share your bank account information with anyone when you use Zelle®.

Question 7

Can I send or receive money internationally?

Answer

In order to use Zelle®, the sender and recipient's bank accounts must be based in the U.S.

Question 8

I never received my verification code when I enrolled. What should I do?

Answer

If you expected to receive a verification code by email:

Make sure you entered your email address correctly.
Check your spam or junk folder.
Make sure you're not blocking emails from USAA.Customer.Service@mailcenter.usaa.com.

If you expected to receive a verification code by text:

Make sure you used a U.S. mobile number and entered it correctly. Landlines, Google voice numbers and Voice over IP (VoIP) are not eligible to enroll with Zelle®.
Make sure you set your text message delivery preference in the USAA Mobile App.
Check with your phone carrier that short code messaging is enabled.

Question 9

Why can't I receive my verification code?

Answer

Make sure you set your text message delivery preferences in the USAA Mobile App. In addition, some phone carriers require you to have short code messaging enabled. Contact your phone carrier for more details.

Question 10

Why do I need location services enabled to use Zelle®?

Answer

Zelle® is available through USAA Federal Savings Bank only in specific locations. If you're in a restricted country, we do not allow its use.

Question 11

What do I need to enroll with Zelle®?

Answer

To enroll with Zelle® at USAA Federal Savings Bank, you must be at least 18 years old and have:

A U.S. mobile number or email address that has been established, validated and on file with USAA.‍ ‍
An active USAA Federal Savings Bank checking or savings account open for at least 10 days.
Accounts that are in good standing.
Location services for the USAA Mobile App enabled in your phone settings.
The USAA Mobile App installed for at least 30 days.
The latest version of the USAA Mobile App and Quick Logon usage.

Question 12

I received a notification that someone sent me money. What if I don't enroll with Zelle®?

Answer

If you don't enroll with Zelle®, you can't send, receive or request money with Zelle®. If someone sends you money and you don't enroll with Zelle® within 14 days, the payment will expire, and you won't receive the money.

Question 13

Can I change or cancel my Zelle® enrollment?

Answer

Yes. If you linked your U.S. mobile number or email address to a USAA account, here's how you can change your account or cancel enrollment:

Log on to the USAA Mobile App.
Select "Zelle®."
Choose "Menu" in the top right corner for iOS or choose the three vertical dots in the top right corner for Android.
Select "Receive Money Settings."
Select "Edit" next to the U.S. mobile number or email address you want to change or cancel enrollment.

Question 14

How does Zelle® work?

Answer

It's easy — just enroll with Zelle® through the USAA Mobile App and link your account to your U.S. mobile number or email address. When you're ready to send money, you can add a trusted recipient from your contacts list or add a new one. If the person you sent money to is not already enrolled, they will receive a notification with simple instructions on how to enroll to receive your money. If they are already enrolled with Zelle®, the money is sent directly to their bank account and cannot be canceled. That's why it's always a good idea to verify the email address or U.S. mobile number before sending and to only send to someone you know and trust. The person you're sending money to must have a bank account in the U.S. to receive money. In most cases, the money you send or receive is available in minutes.

Question 15

What does the "Z" on my contacts mean?

Answer

Knowing which of your friends, family and those you trust are enrolled in Zelle® is simple. We've tagged your contacts that are already using Zelle® with a “Z” logo.

Don't see the “Z” by a contact? You can still send them money with Zelle®. They'll just need to enroll in Zelle® to receive the money.

Question 16

Are there limits to sending money?

Answer

Yes. USAA Federal Savings Bank sets these limits and allows you to send up to three payments in any 24-hour period, up to 21 transactions in any 7-day period and up to 90 transactions in any 30-day period. Your payments can't total more than $1,000 in any 24-hour period, $2,500 over any 7-day period or $10,000 in any 30-day period.

Question 17

How long does it take for someone to get the money I send?

Answer

Money sent with Zelle® is typically available to an enrolled recipient within minutes. If you send money to someone who isn't enrolled, they'll get a payment notification prompting them to enroll. After they enroll successfully, the money will go directly into their account, typically within minutes.

Question 18

I'm unsure about using Zelle® to pay someone I don't know. What should I do?

Answer

If you don't know the person, or aren't sure you will get what you paid for, such as items bought from an online bidding or sales site, we recommend not using Zelle®.

Neither USAA Federal Savings Bank nor Zelle® offers a protection program for any authorized payments made with Zelle® – for example, if you do not receive the item you paid for or the item is not as described or as you expected.

Question 19

Will the person I send money to be notified?

Answer

Yes! They will receive a notification via email or text message.

Question 20

What if the person I'm sending money to hasn't enrolled with Zelle®?

Answer

If your recipient isn't enrolled with Zelle®, they'll get an email or text notification letting them know that money is waiting for them. They'll be prompted to enroll to receive the money you sent.

If your recipient doesn't enroll, they won't receive the money. The payment will expire in 14 days and the money will go back into your account.

Question 21

How can I check the status of my Zelle® payments?

Answer

See the status of your payments on the Zelle® Activity screen in the USAA Mobile App.

To view your activity:

Log on to the USAA Mobile App.
Choose "Zelle®."
Select "Activity" at the bottom of the page.

Question 22

How can I change the account I use to send money?

Answer

When sending money, we'll default to the last account you used. To use a different account, select "From" account on the "Enter Amount" screen and select the account you want to use.

Question 23

Can I cancel a payment once it's been submitted?

Answer

You can only cancel a payment if the intended recipient isn't enrolled with Zelle®. On the Zelle® Activity page, choose the payment you want to cancel, and select "Cancel this payment." If the person you sent money to has already enrolled with Zelle®, the money will usually be available within minutes.

Question 24

How can I dispute a payment that's already been sent?

Answer

Once a payment is sent, it can't be canceled unless the recipient has not yet enrolled with Zelle®. If the recipient isn't willing to send the money back to you, call us at 800-531-USAA (8722) so we can discuss your issue.

Question 25

What happens if the contact information I enter for my recipient is wrong?

Answer

Whenever you send money to someone who is already enrolled with Zelle®, the recipient's enrolled first name will display for you to confirm you're sending to the right person. Be sure to always check the name displayed before sending.

If you send money to an email address or U.S. mobile number for someone other than your intended recipient and the wrong recipient isn't willing to send the money back to you, call us at 800-531-USAA (8722). There's no guarantee that we'll be able to get the money back if it has been sent to the wrong recipient due to member error, such as a keystroke error or typo.

Question 26

What if the person I send money to never receives it?

Answer

If your recipient hasn't received their money, check your Zelle® Activity screen to confirm money was sent to the correct mobile number or email address.

If your recipient didn't receive the money because they didn't enroll with Zelle®, ask them to complete their enrollment. If the payment expired because your recipient did not enroll within 14 days, and money is returned to your account, you can send the money again.

If your recipient is already enrolled but didn't receive the money, and you have confirmed that you used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number to send them money, suggest to your recipient they contact their financial institution. For additional help, call us at 800-531-USAA (8722) so we can discuss your concern.

Question 27

Am I notified when money is sent to me?

Answer

Yes. If you've already enrolled with Zelle® through USAA Federal Savings Bank, you'll get a notification from us that someone has sent you money and no other action is necessary. If you haven't yet enrolled with Zelle®, you'll receive instructions on how to enroll with Zelle® in the USAA Mobile App or on usaa.com. Although you can enroll on usaa.com, you will need to use the USAA Mobile App to send or request money.

Question 28

How long will it take me to receive money?

Answer

You won't receive money until you enroll with Zelle® at USAA Federal Savings Bank using the U.S. mobile number or email address that the money was sent to. Once you enroll, you will typically receive your money within minutes.

Question 29

When can I withdraw the money I received through Zelle®?

Answer

Money received with Zelle® is available for ATM withdrawals and debit card transactions typically within minutes.‍ ‍

For more information, review the Send Money with Zelle® Terms of Service on "Receiving Money: Money Transfers by Network Banks."

Question 30

How do I request or split money?

Answer

You can request or split money with Zelle® from almost anyone with a bank account in the U.S.

NOTE: Recipients may modify, reject, or ignore your request. In addition, requests are subject to the recipient's financial institution's send limits.

Log on to the USAA Mobile App.
Choose "Zelle®."
Select "Request & Split."
Select up to five recipients who'll receive your request from your Zelle® contacts, or add a recipient by selecting the “+” symbol or “Add Recipient” for iOS or “Manage Recipients” then the “+” for Android.
Be sure to add the recipient's U.S. mobile phone number or email address you'd like the request to be sent to.‍ ‍
For one recipient, enter the requested amount, review and select "Request."
For two to five recipients, enter the requested amount, review and select “Split” for iOS or enter the requested amount, review, select “Adjust” then “Split” for Android. This will divide the requested amount evenly among the recipients.
You can edit each recipient's amount by selecting the amount on the review screen, typing in a specific amount and selecting “Adjust.” This should adjust the other recipients' amounts evenly. Then, review and select "Split."

Question 31

Why can't I request money from a certain person?

Answer

You can request money from or split it with almost anyone who has a bank account in the U.S. In order to send payment requests to a U.S. mobile number, the mobile number must already be enrolled with Zelle®.

Question 32

How long are my requests active?

Answer

Your requests for money are active for 14 days. If a recipient doesn't respond within this time frame, the request will expire.

Question 33

How do I cancel my request for money?

Answer

You can only cancel a request if the recipient hasn't responded or the request hasn't expired. To cancel a request for money, choose "Zelle®" in the USAA Mobile App and select "Activity" to view your request. Select the request, then select "Cancel this request." Once you confirm the cancellation, your recipient can't respond to the request. To cancel split requests, you'll need to cancel each recipient's request individually.

Question 34

How do I respond to a request for money?

Answer

To respond to a request for money:

Choose "Zelle®" in the USAA Mobile App.
Select "Activity" to view the pending request.
Choose to accept, decline or modify the amount requested.

Question 35

What is the Zelle® app?

Answer

Zelle® has their own stand-alone mobile app that allows users whose bank or credit union does not currently offer Zelle® to send or receive money using a Visa or MasterCard Debit card. It can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Question 36

Who should use the Zelle® stand-alone app?

Answer

The Zelle® app benefits consumers who want to use Zelle® but do not bank with a participating financial institution in the Zelle network®. Members who want to use their USAA Bank accounts with Zelle® will need to use the USAA Mobile App to send, receive and request money. The USAA Mobile App offers the convenience of using Zelle® while having financial information and account details all in one spot.