Zelle is a trustworthy money transfer app for many of us in the country. There are a lot of services it offers its users. With Zelle, users get direct deposit and free cash cards, and they can instantly set a PIN to receive their Zelle refunds. Usually, each Zelle transaction takes only a minute. But if there is any fund transfer issue, you will see the notification saying Zelle has pending issues.
There are a couple of reasons why your Zelle payment may be pending. These include a delay in your bank’s processing or a violation of the policy that prevents the funds from clearing. Using Zelle for the first time can be overwhelming, but don’t worry! It is always possible to cancel the payment at any time. We will discuss some of the most common reasons for pending payments in this article and solutions to each of those problems.
Common reasons of pending a Zelle payment
It is important to understand that pending transactions have many causes. The most common problems involve network and server issues. However, other issues can arise as well, such as incorrect credentials, not finding the recipient in Zelle, and others. Also, it is important to determine when you intend to make the payment. It wouldn’t be surprising to encounter the problem on a non-working day. There are several reasons why Zelle payments may be pending:
1. The phone number or email address was entered incorrectly
Any mistake in the phone number or email address may result in the money not being transferred to the intended recipient. It is also likely that another person with the same number or email address may have received the money. Or if you have typed a nonexistent phone number or email address by mistake, this could happen. That will result in the payment getting stuck, and you will have to get frustrated.
Solution: Ensure you’ve entered the right phone number or email address before paying. Don’t send money to anyone but a registered U.S. phone number or email address. Make sure you double-check the spelling before paying.
2. Making a payment on a non-business day or hour
When you pay someone from Zelle and have to do a bank transfer first, it’s better to do it on a business day to avoid any pending issues. Weekend or holiday payments or payments after 7 pm EST on business days might take a while, and you’ll see a Zelle payment pending message. It generally takes one more business day for a fund transfer initiated on the weekend or after 7 pm EST on a working day. Banks only delay accessing your account on non-working days when you ask them to do so.
Solution: Start your money transfer on working days before 7 pm EST to avoid such delays. You can’t do anything if you’ve already made your payment during non-working hours.
3. Unenrolled recipient
Unenrolled recipients get an email telling them to enroll if you try to send them money. The money will go directly to the recipient’s bank account once they’re enrolled. If the recipient doesn’t have a Zelle account yet, he can’t take the money. If the receiver doesn’t claim it, the payment will remain pending for 14 days. The payment will expire if they do not register within that time frame, and you will receive your money back in a short time.
Solution: The receiver can sign up for Zelle with the same email address or phone number you entered. Your Zelle pending payment issue will disappear once they get a Zelle account. So, make sure your counterpart has registered for a new Zelle account.
4. International Transaction
If you try to send money overseas to someone who isn’t American, it won’t go through. Zelle is only available to U.S. users. That means you can only send and receive the money within the U.S. using only a U.S. phone number.
Solution: Never attempt to make an overseas transfer using Zelle. Make a transfer only in the U.S. If you need to make an international transfer, then you can use PayPal or Payoneer and other apps.
5. Blocked Account
This issue can occur even if the recipient has a Zelle account already. If Zelle receives a report or observes suspicious activity on the account, then they can block the account. So, it may have happened that Zelle blocked the account of the user to whom you wish to send a payment due to suspicious activities.
Solution: Make sure the account you are transferring your funds to is active and faces no issues. Ask the account holder to double-check the account to make sure of the functionality. If you are in a hurry, then try to transfer a small amount. If it transfers instantly, then make the full fund transfer.
6. There’s a technical problem with Zelle
Zelle works with your bank to make a transfer. Zelle occasionally faces technical issues, or its servers do not work. Your Zelle payment will be pending if you try to make a transfer at that time. Zelle pending issues usually get fixed quickly. It is, therefore, unnecessary for you to worry about that. You can try to make payment at a later date.
Solution: You don’t have anything to do with this issue. All you can do is wait till the Zelle team resolves the problem. Once the problem is resolved, your money will be transferred automatically.
7. Issues related to bank services
The issues with your bank’s services may also be the reason why your Zelle payment remains pending. It is possible that the online services are unavailable due to some technical problems on the bank’s servers. The person on the other side would not receive the funds you are trying to send if you attempted to make a payment during this period.
Solution: The same answer goes here. You need to wait if you have already sent the money to another Zelle user. Usually, they don’t take long to resolve this type of technical issue. So, don’t worry.
8. Bank or Zelle App Issues
You won’t be able to use it if you don’t have the latest Zelle or Bank app. This results in a Zelle pending issue. Old versions of the apps have a number of issues due to some unwanted bugs. That is why companies keep updating their apps and software.
Solution: Always look for the latest version of the app. Keep your app updated whenever Zelle offers the latest version. You can activate the update notification to get the latest version.
If none of these methods work for you, you can contact Zelle’s customer service team. Let them know about your pending Zelle payment reason and ask for a solution. You can reach Zelle customer service by email or phone.
- Phone Number: 00 1 501-748-8506
- Email ID: customerservice@zellepay.com
The best practices for avoiding pending Zelle payments
It is difficult to predict why Zelle payments are pending, particularly when the problem lies with the platform end. However, you should ensure that nothing you do can be associated with a failed transaction.
- Update the Zelle application regularly
- Double-check the information for the account you input
- Ensure that the Zelle receiver is registered
- Keep an eye on any suspicious activity
How Can I Cancel a Pending Zelle Payment?
It’s important to know how to cancel a pending Zelle payment. It’s nice that you don’t have to pay any fees to cancel a pending transaction. The recipient must enter the correct information to receive the money. It is important to keep in mind that you can only request a refund if the recipient has not yet enrolled.
During the payment process, make sure the correct details are provided in order to cancel a pending Zelle payment. Once the money has been returned, you can ask the recipient for it. If you’re unsure whether you’ve entered the information correctly, you can contact your bank to see what cancellation policies it has. You should follow these steps.
- To cancel a recurring payment, you need to open your Zelle app or mobile banking app.
- Log into your Zelle account and tap on ‘Activity’.
- The next step is to select the pending payment under the ‘Payments’ section.
- From the ‘Transactions’ tab, select ‘Cancel’.
How long does a Zelle payment stay pending?
When a Zelle payment remains pending for an extended period of time, it can be frustrating. There are some payments that cannot be completed in less than a minute, but the majority can be done within a minute. The following tips will assist you in avoiding a stalled payment. The Zelle app is an easy and convenient way to send money. The process of sending money to friends, family, and business associates can be completed in a matter of minutes.
It is not possible to cancel a money transfer once it has been sent. In the end, it is a direct transfer from your account to the recipients. You may, however, cancel your payments using the Zelle app in order to avoid this inconvenience. The Zelle app will notify you once the funds have been credited back to your account. Zelle requires the recipient to have the app installed and enrolled in the service before sending money. They will receive a notification urging them to enroll in Zelle if they are not already doing so. The funds will be deposited directly into the recipient’s account when they enroll.