Is Zelle really safer than Venmo for sending money to strangers?

I keep seeing people say Zelle is safer because it's through your bank, but last week I had a guy on Facebook Marketplace insist I use Zelle for a $200 couch. I backed out because once that money's gone, there's zero fraud protection like a credit card has. Am I wrong for thinking Venmo with purchase protection is actually the smarter play here - or is everyone just trusting bank branding too much?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_charles19d ago

Has the whole "it goes through your bank" thing made people think banks actually protect you more than payment apps do? I've noticed this pattern where people trust anything that looks official or has a bank logo on it, even when the fine print says otherwise. With Venmo's purchase protection you at least have a fighting chance to get your money back if something goes wrong. Aren't most people just picking whatever feels safest without actually reading the terms?

the_jason18d ago

@the_charles Venmo's protection isn't automatic either though.