P2P payments | blog.firstffcu.com

Weddings are a time of great joy. But let’s face it, they can also be a bit stressful – especially if you’re in the bridal party. Being in a wedding party can cost you around $1,000 by today’s standards. Here are a few ways to avoid going into debt once you’ve agreed to be there for your BFF on their big day and the surrounding events:

Communicate – Before you agree to be in the wedding party, communicate with the bride or groom about expectations and expenses. If you’re currently struggling financially and don’t think you can afford what might be expected of you, be up front and honest about it.
Save up – If potentially being in a bridal party is in your near future, start putting aside some money into savings now – every little bit helps. Once you’re asked and accept, definitely start socking away as much as your budget will allow (even if you have to temporarily forego some of your usual treats like meals out, daily coffee, Netflix, etc. and put that money into wedding savings).
It’s okay to say no if you really can’t afford something. If you truly can’t afford to be in a wedding party, it’s okay to say no – just do it as gently and kindly as possible and be completely honest. You can politely decline and if you felt you needed to, still thank them for asking you and send them a small gift or item from their registry. Or if you would like to accept but can’t afford a destination bachelor or bachelorette party which you know is in the works, be up front about that from the beginning.

Once you’ve accepted the invitation to participate in a wedding party, it’s time to start thinking about how you might pay for upcoming expenses. Person-to-person (P2P) payment apps are very popular these days, and can make organizing a bachelor or bachelorette party easier – and gifting for the wedding or bridal shower a breeze. It’s also a good idea to brush up on your P2P payment app safety first, before you start planning away.

How to Plan a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party using P2P Payment Apps

Your best friend is getting married and you’ve accepted to being the best man or maid of honor. You’re honored but also a bit nervous, because you want everything to be perfect – including their bachelor or bachelorette party.

Whether the guest of honor decides on a weekend getaway, a staycation closer to home, or a low-key night in, much of the party planning will probably rest with you. Once you’ve been given a list of possible locations, dates, and the invite list, you might want to start a group text or email to the invitees to get everyone on the same page regarding costs and expectations.

Some things to consider, save up for, and communicate may include:

Transportation costs: Plane tickets or carpooling to the destination.
Accommodation costs: Hotel or house rental.
Costs for various activities: Brewery/wine tasting, pool cabana, concert tickets, meals, etc.

Decide up front what the guest of honor will pay for and what the group will cover. It’s important to get everyone’s input because some may have tighter budgets than others, and you don’t want to put anyone in an uncomfortable position. According to a recent survey conducted by Savings.com, 43% of people don’t feel comfortable talking about money or financial status with their friends. This could be why 52% of respondents took on credit card debt and 39% opted out of some parts of the bachelor/bachelorette party due to high costs.

Consider taking an anonymous poll to help determine how much money guests would like to spend. Once that’s decided, how to split bachelor/bachelorette party costs and share expenses should be fairly easy. And that’s where P2P payment apps come in.

As one of the more popular peer-to-peer payment options, you might be surprised at how many guests already use the P2P payment app Zelle®. And those who don’t can most likely enroll through their bank or credit union’s mobile app with just an email address or U.S. mobile phone number. Once they enroll, they can now send money directly to your bank account, even if they bank somewhere different than you.¹ As the host, you can easily send payment requests² to others in the group for their share of the costs you’ve already agreed upon. Plus, money sent is typically available in minutes.¹

When using a P2P app, it’s very important to make sure you know who you are sending money to – since once it’s sent, it can be extremely difficult to get it back (if at all) should it go to the wrong place. Always verify the contact’s user name, mobile phone number or email address prior to sending any P2P payment.

More Ways to Support the Happy Couple with P2P Payment Apps

Shower Gifts: P2P payments make it very easy to split the costs of group gifts for a bridal or wedding shower. Plus, splitting costs with coworkers, friends or other family members is a great way to afford those higher priced registry gifts for the happy couple.

The Perfect Wedding Gift: Is the couple trying to buy a new house or save for a dream honeymoon? Sending the gift of money is a great way to help support their goals, whatever they may be. And when you send them a gift using a P2P payment method, it’ll arrive right away if you’re pressed for time (think as soon as they say their “I do’s” on wedding day – simply open your P2P app, click on their contact and hit send!).

Learn more about how P2P payments like Zelle® work in our short video tutorial.

To learn more about P2P payment scams and ways to protect yourself, visit zellepay.com/pay-it-safe.

Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.

Person-to-person (P2P) payment options have certainly made paying back borrowed money to friends and family very convenient. From going out to eat and splitting the tab, to chipping in for a gift, or paying a trusted contact for a service – P2P payment services have made our lives quick and easy. However, if you are a user of a P2P payment service such as Zelle, Square Cash, PayPal, Venmo, Facebook Payments, Google Wallet, Apple Pay, Payzur, and the like – buyer beware.

Continue reading to ensure you know how to spot a P2P payment scam so that you don’t fall victim to this type of fraud. P2P scams are extremely serious, because the victim unfortunately usually is not protected from money lost and fraudulent access to their account(s).

Why are victims of P2P scams usually not protected?

Due to the fact that P2P transactions are consumer initiated, there is not much protection when a fraudulent transaction occurs – because technically the consumer authorized the transaction. Whether it’s the actual consumer or a fraudster who initiated the payment service transfer, there really is no way to prove it. In addition, user error is often not covered either. Most P2P apps have user agreements prior to first time use, where the user agrees when money is sent through the app – any losses are on the user, since they authorized a transaction.

Recently, Zelle’s P2P service added a measure to help prevent users from sending money to the wrong person. Zelle now includes a pop-up warning if a user is trying to send money to someone who is not in their contacts, which makes them think twice before allowing the funds to leave their account.

How does a P2P scam work?

A P2P scam is basically an account takeover scam. Fraudsters will send text messages to an unsuspecting consumer, appearing as if the message is coming from the individual’s financial institution.

The text will usually appear to come from the individual’s financial institution (aka: spoofing) and will warn them of suspicious debit card activity.
For those who respond to this fraudulent text, the fraudster will call that consumer also spoofing the financial institution’s phone number – and claim they are from the bank’s fraud department and would like to verify a suspicious transaction.
The fraudster will then try to get the unsuspecting consumer to verify their identity, and let them know a passcode will be sent via text message – and that the consumer must provide the passcode over the phone.
Once the fraudster has that passcode, they’ll attempt a transaction that triggers another two-step authentication passcode (such as forgot password so they can reset the consumer’s password, or they’ll try to initiate a P2P transaction).
The fraudster now has access to all of the consumer’s accounts within Online Banking, as well as access to their P2P payment service if one is provided through the bank (such as Zelle) – and will begin using P2P payments to transfer money to themselves.

And unfortunately, there is not much that can be done once this happens – because it appears that the consumer approved the P2P transfer. Since the fraudster spoofed the financial institution phone number, they more than likely won’t be caught either – once it’s recognized that a scam occurred.

How can I make sure I don’t become a P2P scam victim?

Only send money to people you actually know. P2P transactions are instantaneous (meaning they happen within seconds) and are often irreversible.
Get all of your recipient’s details prior to initiating a P2P payment. Before you press “send” or “pay,” be sure you have the correct user name, phone number, photo, or other identifier. If you incorrectly enter a recipient’s email or phone number, the money could go to the wrong person and you may not get it back. Some P2P services offer the option of receiving a special code to confirm that the person you’re sending money to is your intended recipient. If this feature is available – use it.
Confirm you know how to get help if something goes wrong. Before using a P2P service, search the app for procedures and customer service contacts. Know who to reach out to if you have a problem.
Keep your app updated. Hackers usually look to exploit vulnerabilities. If your software is not up to date, you’re missing out on protections. Be sure automatic updates are turned on so you know you’re covered.

While P2P services are a useful and convenient way to pay those you know without having to go to the ATM or get change – it’s important to also be aware of the risks and ways to avoid fraud while using them.

Always remember that your legitimate financial institution will never ask you for your login credentials, passcodes, or user name. If you have additional questions or concerns about P2P payment services or have been a victim of a P2P scam in relation to a First Financial account, please give us a call at 732.312.1500 or email us at info@firstffcu.com.

Article Sources:

CUNA Mutual Group 2019 Peer-to-Peer Payments Risk Overview

CUNA Mutual Group Risk Alert – Sophisticated Scams Lead to P2P Fraud (May 12, 2020)