JPMorgan Chase, $JPM, has begun to file lawsuits against people that withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars using a so-called “infinite money glitch” that went viral on social media last summer.
JPMorgan Chase is taking legal action against customers in the U.S. whom it accuses of exploiting a technical glitch at ATMs to steal thousands of dollars, a scheme that gained attention on TikTok this summer.
The bank has filed lawsuits in at least three federal courts against individuals who took advantage of the so-called "infinite money glitch," where users withdrew funds before their deposited checks bounced.
On Monday, JPMorgan filed at least four lawsuits, alleging that the accused deposited fake checks worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars into their Chase accounts and withdrew large amounts before the checks were returned unpaid. The complaints, filed in federal courts in Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami, claim that these customers collectively owe the bank about $660,000.
The bank had previously warned customers that exploiting the glitch for cash was "fraud, plain and simple." Typically, banks allow customers to withdraw only a small portion of the value of a check until it clears, a process that can take several days. While JPMorgan announced on September 2 that it had resolved the issue, several customers had already taken advantage of the glitch.
Although the lawsuits do not explicitly reference the viral TikTok trend, the withdrawals cited in the complaints follow the method promoted on the platform in late August. Popular videos on TikTok advised users to write large checks to themselves and withdraw some or all of the amount from ATMs.
In one Houston case, a masked individual deposited a counterfeit check for $335,000 at an ATM. According to court documents, the defendant withdrew the majority of the money and now owes JPMorgan $290,939.47.
The lawsuits state that this conduct constitutes bank fraud, and the bank is demanding that customers repay the withdrawn funds, along with associated fees, attorneys' costs, and other damages.
JPMorgan Chase emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating: "Fraud is a crime that affects everyone and erodes trust in the banking system. Chase takes its responsibility to combat fraud seriously and is committed to protecting the firm and its customers, making the banking system more secure."
