A supposed “glitch” in Chase bank’s ATMs that allowed customers to withdraw large sums of money after depositing fake checks has led to a flurry of TikTok users posting videos online bragging about their ill-gotten gains. However, experts warn that this is not a harmless trick, but rather a clear case of check fraud that could result in serious legal consequences.
The Daily Mail reports that over the past few days, social media has been inundated with videos of people seemingly exploiting a flaw in Chase’s ATM system. By writing fraudulent checks for exorbitant amounts and then depositing them, some customers were able to withdraw tens of thousands of dollars that did not actually belong to them. On TikTok and other platforms, users referred to this as an “infinite money hack” and giddily showed off stacks of cash they had obtained.
One of the most prominent clips to emerge from this trend depicted a man walking out of a Chase branch in Yonkers, New York with his friends, all of them cheering as they fanned out wads of hundred dollar bills. Other videos showed long lines of people queuing up outside Chase locations, presumably hoping to take advantage of the supposed glitch before it was fixed.
However, financial experts caution that there is nothing clever or harmless about this activity. What may have seemed like a sneaky life hack is in fact a textbook example of check fraud. While the money initially appeared in customers’ accounts and could be withdrawn, any checks written without sufficient funds will inevitably bounce once they are fully processed by the bank.
“We are aware of this incident, and it has been addressed,” a Chase spokesperson told the Daily Mail. “Regardless of what you see online, depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds from your account is fraud, plain and simple.” The bank declined to provide further details on how some customers were able to circumvent standard security protocols.
It did not take long for Chase to crack down on the fraudulent activity. Many TikTok users who had gleefully posted about their gains soon shared sobering updates showing their accounts tens of thousands of dollars in the negative due to the fake checks being reversed. “They really told me to tap in, the next day it was supposed to clear, but look at my account,” one distressed man said while showing a balance nearly $40,000 overdrawn.
Depending on the specific circumstances and amounts involved, check fraud can be prosecuted as a felony offense at either the state or federal level. In more serious cases, the penalty may include a fine of up to $1 million and 30 years in prison. Rather than an easy payday, participants in this viral stunt may have opened themselves up to severe legal jeopardy with their very public admissions posted online.
While Chase has confirmed the loophole has now been fixed, it is a cautionary example of how social media trends can quickly spiral into widespread illegal behavior. Financial institutions are advising customers that any funds credited to their account in error should be reported and not spent under any circumstances. The old adage remains as true as ever—if something seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
Read more at the Daily Mail here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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