A TikTok trend is turning into major legal trouble for some Chase bank customers.
The trend, which claimed people could get “free money” from Chase Bank ATMs through an “infinite money glitch,” was really just old-school check fraud. Still, it went viral in early September after a post on X led to lines forming at Chase Banks around the country.
On Monday, CNBC reported that JPMorgan Chase is suing customers who took advantage of a technical glitch that allowed them to withdraw large amounts of money before the check bounced. Traditionally, banks make a small amount of the funds available for withdrawal before the check clears.
Related: Chase Bank Viral ‘Glitch’ Is Just Plain Old Bank Fraud, Company Says
“Fraud is a crime that impacts everyone and undermines trust in the banking system,” JPMorgan spokesman Drew Pusateri told CNBC in a statement. “We’re pursuing these cases and actively cooperating with law enforcement to make sure if someone is committing fraud against Chase and its customers, they’re held accountable.”
Lawsuits were filed in three federal courts, with one man in Houston, Texas, reportedly owing the bank almost $291,000 “after an unidentified accomplice deposited a counterfeit $335,000 check at an ATM,” per the filing.
“On August 29, 2024, a masked man deposited a check in Defendant’s Chase bank account in the amount of $335,000,” the bank said in the Texas filing, per CNBC. “After the check was deposited, Defendant began withdrawing the vast majority of the ill-gotten funds.”
JPMorgan also filed lawsuits Monday in Miami and the Central District of California, with amounts owed ranging from $80,000 to $141,000, per Quartz.
Even cases with much smaller amounts are being investigated. JPMorgan says the company is prioritizing cases that look like they could be “tied to organized crime” and those with large dollar amounts first but will be moving on to instances with lower sums soon.
