Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zelle?

Zelle is a fast, safe and easy way to send money directly between almost any bank accounts in the U.S., typically within minutes¹. With just an email address or U.S. mobile phone number, you can send money to people you trust, regardless of where they bank².

Who can I send money to with Zelle?

You can send money to friends, family and others you trust².

Since money is sent directly from your bank account to another person's bank account within minutes¹, it's important to only send money to people you trust, and always ensure you've used the correct email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

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

Neither Bank of Albuquerque 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.

If you don't know the person, or aren't sure you will get what you paid for (for example, items bought from an online bidding or sales site), you should not use Zelle for these types of transactions.

These transactions are potentially high risk; just like sending cash to a person you don’t know is high risk.

It’s important to know how to recognize a financial scam. Scammers can come in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s an online dating/romance scam, work-at-home or an employment scam. Learn more about how to protect yourself and how to file a complaint on the FTC's website.

Will I be charged an overdraft fee with Zelle?

If you attempt to send money with Zelle at an amount larger than your Available Balance, you may overdraw your account and be charged an Overdraft Fee by us in accordance with the terms governing your deposit account. You are responsible for monitoring the status of transactions on your account.

Someone sent me money with Zelle, how do I receive it?

If you have already enrolled with Zelle, you do not need to take any further action. The money will move directly into your bank account, typically within minutes¹. If you have not yet enrolled with Zelle, follow these steps:

1. Click on the link provided in the payment notification you received via email or text message.
2. Select Bank of Albuquerque.
3. Follow the instructions provided on the page to enroll and receive your money. Pay attention to the email address or U.S. mobile phone number where you received the payment notification - you should enroll with Zelle using that email address or U.S. mobile phone number to ensure you receive your money.

What types of payments can I make with Zelle?

Zelle is a great way to send money to friends, family and people you trust such as your personal trainer, babysitter or neighbor².

Since money is sent directly from your bank account to another person's bank account within minutes¹, Zelle should only be used to send money to people you trust.

Neither Bank of Albuquerque, 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.

How do I get started?

It's easy — Zelle is already available in your Mobile Access app! Check your app and follow a few simple steps to enroll with Zelle today.

What if I want to send money to someone whose bank or credit union doesn’t offer Zelle?

You can find a full list of participating banks and credit unions live with Zelle here.

If your recipient's bank or credit union isn't on the list, don't worry! The list of participating financial institutions is always growing, and your recipient can still use Zelle by downloading the Zelle app for Android and iOS.

To enroll with the Zelle app, your recipient will enter their basic contact information, an email address and U.S. mobile number, and a Visa® or Mastercard® debit card with a U.S. based account (does not include U.S. territories). Zelle does not accept debit cards associated with international deposit accounts or any credit cards.

How do I use Zelle?

You can send, request, or receive money with Zelle from your personal checking account. To get started, log into your Mobile Access app and select "Transfers" at the bottom of the screen, then select the Zelle® icon. Following the prompts, enter the information requested, accept the terms and conditions, and you're ready to start sending and receiving with Zelle.

To send money using Zelle, simply select someone from your mobile device's contacts or add a trusted recipient's email address or U.S. mobile phone number, add the amount you'd like to send and an optional note, review, then hit "Send." In most cases, the money is available to your recipient in minutes¹.

To request money using Zelle, choose "Request," select the individual from whom you'd like to request money, enter the amount you'd like to request, include an optional note, review and hit "Request"³. You can only request a payment from someone who isn't already enrolled with Zelle using their email address.

To receive money, just share your enrolled email address or U.S. mobile phone number with a friend and ask them to send you money with Zelle.

How does Zelle work?

When you enroll with Zelle through your banking app, your name, your financial institution's name, and the email address or U.S. mobile number you enrolled is shared with Zelle (no sensitive account details are shared – those stay with Bank of Albuquerque). When someone sends money to your enrolled email address or U.S. mobile phone number, Zelle looks up the email address or mobile number in its "directory" and notifies us of the incoming payment. Bank of Albuquerque then directs the payment into your enrolled bank account, all while keeping your sensitive account details private.

Can I use Zelle internationally?

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

How can I prevent fraud when sending payments?

Only send money to those you know with Zelle. Transactions between enrolled consumers typically occur in minutes and generally do not incur transaction fees. Think of Zelle like cash: once you send a payment it cannot be canceled if the recipient is already enrolled. A U.S. checking or savings account required to use Zelle. Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.

Can I cancel a payment?

You can only cancel a payment if the person you sent money to hasn't yet enrolled with Zelle. To check whether the payment is still pending because the recipient hasn't yet enrolled, you can go to your activity page, choose the payment you want to cancel, and then select "Cancel This Payment."

If the person you sent money to has already enrolled with Zelle, the money is sent directly to their bank account and cannot be canceled. This is why it's important to only send money to people you trust, and always ensure you've used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money.

If you have additional questions, you may contact our ExpressBank at 800-583-0709.

How long does it take to receive money with Zelle?

Money sent with Zelle is typically available to an enrolled recipient within minutes¹.

If you send money to someone who isn't enrolled with Zelle, they will receive a notification prompting them to enroll. After enrollment, the money will move directly to your recipient's account, typically within minutes¹.

If your payment is pending, we recommend confirming that the person you sent money to has enrolled with Zelle and that you entered the correct email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

If you're waiting to receive money, you should check to see if you've received a payment notification via email or text message. If you haven't received a payment notification, we recommend following up with the sender to confirm they entered the correct email address or U.S. mobile phone number.

Still having trouble? Call our customer support team at 800-583-0709 so we can help you.

Will the person I send money to be notified?

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

Is my information secure?

Keeping your information safe is a top priority. When you use Zelle within your mobile app, your information is protected with the same technology we use to keep your bank account safe.

What if I get an error message when I try to enroll an email address or U.S. mobile number?

Your email address or U.S. mobile phone number may already be enrolled with Zelle at another bank or credit union. You will need to follow the prompts to transfer your enrollment to Bank of Albuquerque.

If you are still having trouble, contact ExpressBank at 800-583-0709 to validate your current contact information.

Can I pay a small business with Zelle?

Some small businesses are able to receive payments with Zelle. Ask your favorite small business if they accept payments with Zelle. If they do, you can pay them directly from your Mobile Access app using just their email address or U.S. mobile number.

Neither Bank of Albuquerque, nor Zelle, offers a protection program for any authorized payments made with Zelle, so you should only send money to people (and small businesses) you trust. Also, always ensure you've used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money.

Can I enroll my business account in Zelle?

At this time Bank of Albuquerque business and commercial accounts are not eligible to enroll with Zelle. You can send, request, or receive money with Zelle from your personal checking account only.