Zelle in Israel | Imamother

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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Israel related Inquiries & Aliyah Questions

Zelle in Israel

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amother

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 7:39 am

I am trying to transfer money to someone through Zelle and it is driving me a little nuts. I actually managed a couple of weeks ago, and since then it has not worked. It asks me to verify my identity by receiving an SMS to my US phone number. I don't actually have SMS on my phone, but my virtual US number sends the SMS to my email. But for the past week I just haven't received the SMS they claim to send. Problem is Zelle claims to not allow virtual numbers, so I can't exactly complain to them that it's not working. So what happened? They somehow discovered it's a virtual number even though a few weeks ago they didn't know?

I have a Google Voice number, too, but it looks like they automatically know that one is not real and won't even claim to send an SMS there. I once received money through Zelle from someone in Israel- we both have Capital One 360 accounts and I'm pretty sure he also used a virtual number. How else do people not in the US use Zelle? I'm pretty sure people here do use Zelle, right? Any tips? Is it easier on a smartphone? Do you still need to verify your identity through an SMS to a US number? The number needs to be linked to my name, so asking a relative in the US I don't think would help, right?

Success10

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 7:49 am

So for me what worked was trying a different amount or trying again a different day. BH they eventually stopped asking for verification.

amother

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 7:53 am

Success10 wrote:

So for me what worked was trying a different amount or trying again a different day. BH they eventually stopped asking for verification.

I'll give the different amount a try, thank you! (I've already tried on many different days.)

mummy85

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 7:54 am

We have a Capital One account. We have my MILs phone as the number who gets the SMS.

amother

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 7:56 am

mummy85 wrote:

We have a Capital One account. We have my MILs phone as the number who gets the SMS.

Interesting... so why is it not an issue that it's not your name? They only check if they feel like it? I'll give it a try later with a different number if this doesn't work.

mummy85

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 7:59 am

OP first- just wondering, why are you anonymous?
Technically you are not allowed to share any bank info with other people- I think banks have you sign to this.
However, how would they know who owns the phone? People get new phone numbers all the time.

Success10

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 8:01 am

mummy85 wrote:

It has to be registered in her name. Otherwise, the bank verifies it, but the process takes time.

amother

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 8:14 am

mummy85 wrote:

I'm anonymous because at least the one I am trying to send money to knows I've been going nuts from Zelle. And I may ask others about it as well. So just in case those people are on here, I'd like my sn to remain anonymous. I know some don't care, but I do.

How they know who owns my phone number? I think they can see whom it's registered to, no? Just like sites can see whom a credit card is registered to. They say they can check so I assumed they could.

amother

Nasturtium

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 8:17 am

I don’t know if this is helpful, but we use PayPal for transferring money to people in the US or them to us. We also have capital one accounts.

essie14

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 8:17 am

I have zelle through Chase and DH has zelle through Bank of America and we both use virtual numbers (Google voice and TextNow) and never have problems.

sarahph1

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 8:27 am

It doesn’t have to be linked to your name
Mine isn’t

amother

Viola

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 8:40 am

I have only an Israeli number.
I call them, and they verify me over the phone and give me a code. It's a pain but it works.

amother

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 9:51 am

sarahph1 wrote:

It doesn’t have to be linked to your name
Mine isn’t

Great to know, thanks!

amother

Sun, Feb 04 2024, 9:55 am

amother Viola wrote:

I have only an Israeli number.
I call them, and they verify me over the phone and give me a code. It's a pain but it works.

Who do you call? The bank or Zelle itself? If Zelle, what number is that? If the bank, which bank do you have? I was afraid to call because it says they only allow sending to and from the US, so if we are able to do it here it's by going around their rule. Is that not true? Do you tell them you are abroad or only that you can't get texts?

amother

Mon, Feb 05 2024, 3:51 am

amother Viola wrote:

I have only an Israeli number.
I call them, and they verify me over the phone and give me a code. It's a pain but it works.

Amother Viola, any chance you can explain more? Who do you call and do you tell them you're abroad or just that you don't have text? Thank you!

amother

Moonstone

Mon, Feb 05 2024, 5:11 am

amother OP wrote:

let's say your using your mother's number and your mother's number is linked to a different bank account then they could pick it up, and yes they could block your account and it's a mission to get I reopened. It did happen to someone I know. Why don't you get a TextNow number? It's a free app. I don't know if it works in Isreal.

amother

Mon, Feb 05 2024, 5:27 am

amother Moonstone wrote:

It looks like TextNow is just like Google Voice. I have Google Voice, but Zelle won't text that number since it's not a real phone number. They must have some way of knowing, though I'm not sure how. My other "fake" US number they did text once and now they claim to text it but the text doesn't come through. My understanding is that they don't officially allow anyone not in the US to use their service, so anyone who manages is going around their rules and I can't exactly complain to them about it not working.

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