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The Money Desk · Blog
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TikTok’s “Infinite Money Glitch” Wasn’t Free Money: Chase Sues People Accused of Check Fraud

Chase’s 2024 lawsuits show why TikTok’s “infinite money glitch” was not a hack: provisional check credit could be withdrawn temporarily, but counterfeit deposits were later reversed.
From TheFinanceBase Team5 min to read
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The viral TikTok “infinite money glitch” was not a legitimate way to create cash. It involved depositing checks that were allegedly counterfeit, forged or otherwise unpaid, then withdrawing money while Chase’s system showed provisional funds as available. When the checks failed, the deposits were reversed and account holders remained liable. JPMorgan Chase filed at least four federal lawsuits on October 28, 2024, seeking more than $661,000 in alleged losses.

What the “infinite money glitch” was

Videos spread on TikTok and other social platforms in late August 2024 portraying a way to turn a very large check deposit into immediately withdrawable cash. The underlying issue was a temporary Chase ATM-processing problem, not a source of unlimited money. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency later described the episode as check fraud connected to a technical glitch (OCC speech).

According to reporting based on Chase’s court complaints, people deposited fraudulent or unsupported checks and took out cash before the checks had completed verification. The complaints allege particular transactions; they do not establish that every person who watched, shared or attempted to imitate a video committed fraud.

Why a balance could appear before the money was real

Provisional credit

When a bank accepts a check, it may make some or all of the deposit appear available before the paying bank has finally honored the item. That early entry is provisional credit. It is an accounting and customer-service practice, not proof that the check is genuine.

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Final settlement

The check still has to clear through the banking system. If it is counterfeit, forged, altered or drawn against insufficient funds, the deposit can be rejected and reversed. Cash already withdrawn does not become lawful or debt-free because an app or ATM temporarily displayed it as available.

What the glitch changed

Reports said the Chase problem allowed unusually large ATM check deposits to be withdrawn before normal processing safeguards took effect. That may explain the timing, but it did not validate the checks or transfer the loss to the bank. The Guardian’s account describes the distinction between temporary availability and completed clearing (The Guardian).

What Chase alleged in court

Reuters, Bloomberg Law and public-media reports said Chase filed at least four federal complaints on October 28, 2024, in courts covering Los Angeles, Houston and Miami. The reported defendants included two individuals and two businesses. Collectively, the suits sought more than $661,000 in allegedly unpaid funds, plus relief that could include interest, overdraft charges, fees and attorneys’ fees depending on the case.

Reported detail What it means
Filing date October 28, 2024
Number of complaints At least four, according to contemporaneous reports
Reported venues Federal courts serving Los Angeles, Houston and Miami
Defendants Two individuals and two businesses, according to Reuters’ account
Aggregate demand More than $661,000 alleged across those cases—not a confirmed nationwide loss

The complaints are civil allegations. They are not criminal convictions, and they do not prove that the named defendants created the TikTok trend, posted the videos or recruited other participants. The Guardian reported that the lawsuits themselves did not name TikTok, even though the alleged conduct resembled the method circulating there.

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The Houston allegation involving a $335,000 check

One Houston complaint described a masked person depositing a purportedly counterfeit $335,000 check into a Chase account. Chase alleged that most of the credited funds were withdrawn and that the defendant still owed $290,939.47. Coverage based on the complaint differs on the precise August deposit date, so the safest description is the one in the filed document rather than a disputed date repeated by secondary accounts. A copy of one reported complaint is available at this PDF.

How Chase responded

Chase said it had fixed or addressed the processing issue by September 2, 2024. Reports describe changes intended to prevent immediate withdrawal from newly deposited checks before the relevant safeguards were applied. The bank also warned that exploiting the event was fraud and said it was cooperating with law enforcement. Public accounts do not provide a complete technical description of Chase’s ATM or fraud-detection systems, and fixing the processing issue does not mean every related fraud risk ended on that date.

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Civil lawsuits are not the same as criminal charges

Several separate questions are often collapsed into the word “glitch”:

  • Bank error: a system may release provisional credit too early.
  • Check fraud: the deposited item may be fake, forged, altered or unsupported.
  • Withdrawal: money may be taken before the check is rejected.
  • Civil recovery: the bank can sue to recover a debt it says the account holder owes.
  • Criminal enforcement: prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies would need to investigate and prove any criminal offense.

Possible consequences for an individual depend on the facts and jurisdiction. They can include a reversed deposit, a negative account balance, collection activity, account closure or restrictions, a civil judgment, referral to investigators and potential criminal exposure. The available reports do not establish a single outcome for everyone who interacted with the trend.

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What the viral label leaves out

Watching a video is not proof of participation

A person could have viewed or shared a post without depositing a check. Someone else could have used an account, or a customer could have deposited a legitimate check. A business account might be named in a complaint even when the online video was associated with an individual. The initial lawsuits cover a small set of defendants, not everyone who may have tried the method.

The lawsuit total is not the total cost

The reported figure of more than $661,000 is the amount sought in the four reported cases. It is not a verified estimate of Chase’s total losses, the total amount withdrawn nationwide or the number of people involved.

The “glitch” did not create money

The more accurate description is premature access to provisional credit. The checks still had to clear, and the account holder still bore responsibility when they did not.

What readers should do with the lesson

Safety checklist

  • Do not deposit a check in exchange for money you are not entitled to receive.
  • Do not treat an “available balance” as proof that a check has finally cleared.
  • Avoid online “hacks” that require fake checks, rapid withdrawals or secrecy.
  • If a suspicious check was deposited, do not spend or transfer the credited funds; contact the bank immediately.
  • Keep messages, receipts and transaction records, and seek qualified legal advice if the bank or law enforcement contacts you.

Where the cases stood in the available reporting

Reports published in October 2024 established the four initial complaints and Chase’s alleged amounts. Available results through August 18, 2026 do not establish the final disposition of every case. It would therefore be inaccurate to say that all participants were convicted, that every viral participant was sued or that the reported claims represent the entire scope of the incident.

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