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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe viral “Chase Bank glitch” of Labor Day weekend 2024 was not a legitimate way to get free money. Social media posts described depositing checks without enough money to cover them, then withdrawing cash before the checks cleared. Chase called knowingly depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds “fraud, plain and simple.” The exact technical reason some customers could make the reported withdrawals has not been publicly explained.
What was the Chase Bank glitch?
Social media users described writing or depositing checks without sufficient funds, then taking out cash while the deposits appeared available. Fortune reported the posts and quoted a Chase spokesperson saying the incident had been addressed and that depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds was fraud: Fortune, September 3, 2024.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s 2025 account describes customers writing significant checks to themselves, depositing them at Chase ATMs and withdrawing cash during the period before the checks cleared. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency later referred to a “temporary technical glitch”; contemporary media reports cited thousands of possible incidents. That figure was a reported estimate, not a confirmed final count.
Why could a deposit look spendable before the check cleared?
A bank may make a deposit available before it has completed the process of collecting the money from the check’s source. That interval is known as the float. A temporary credit or available balance is not proof that a check is valid or that its funds have finally cleared. The reported scheme exploited that gap between apparent availability and final settlement.
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Check kiting is a longstanding form of fraud that uses the float between transactions to make an account appear funded. Cornell law professor Dan Awrey described the Chase episode to Fortune as “Check kiting. It’s called check kiting. And it’s been around since the invention of… checks.” The viral posts involved people depositing checks they wrote to themselves; the available accounts do not establish that every case followed the classic pattern of checks moving between separate accounts. “Check fraud” is the clearer umbrella term for the conduct described.
Was the Chase ATM glitch real—and did it mean unlimited cash?
There was a real public incident involving customers attempting to exploit check availability, and Chase said it had addressed the issue. But the cited public accounts do not explain the precise system mechanism that allowed the reported withdrawals. The Richmond Fed says Chase had not commented on how customers were able to withdraw seemingly unlimited funds.
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That gap matters: viral descriptions such as “infinite money glitch” are not evidence of a confirmed unlimited-cash feature. Nor do the available sources verify every video, screenshot or claim of account losses circulating online. The OCC’s reference to thousands of possible incidents should not be read as a final audited total of participants or losses.
What could happen to someone who tried it?
A check that is returned unpaid can leave a shortfall after cash has already been withdrawn. Depending on the circumstances, consequences may include a negative balance, an account freeze, a repayment demand, an investigation or a lawsuit. The Richmond Fed reports that Chase froze many accounts and sued some of the biggest offenders to recoup losses. These reports do not establish one outcome for every participant.
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Knowingly writing or depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the money is not a legitimate banking workaround. Legal exposure depends on the facts and jurisdiction; the available reporting does not support predicting a specific charge or penalty for an individual.
What to do if you participated or are worried about your account
- If you participated: Contact Chase promptly using the number on your card or account statement. Do not rely on social-media claims or take steps to conceal the activity. If you face an investigation or repayment demand, seek individualized legal advice.
- If your account is frozen or has a negative balance: Ask the bank through a verified contact channel what it needs from you and how to address the account. Keep relevant account records and communications.
- If a call or message claims you must move money to fix the problem: Do not use a number or link in that message. Chase warns that scammers can spoof caller ID and messages, and advises customers to call the number on their card. Its Security Center guidance also warns against urgency and requests to move money.
Why check fraud remains a broader concern
The Chase episode was one reported incident, not a measure of all check fraud. In its 2025 account, the Richmond Fed reported that the number of checks collected and processed annually by the Federal Reserve had declined 82 percent over 30 years, while FinCEN data showed check fraud had more than doubled since 2020. The decline in check volume does not make checks risk-free: Paul Benda, an American Bankers Association executive vice president for risk, fraud and cybersecurity, told the Richmond Fed, “Checks are an inherently insecure form of payment.”
The same Richmond Fed account cites $12.5 billion in consumer-reported fraud losses in 2024, up 25 percent from reported 2023 losses, based on Federal Trade Commission figures. Those figures concern broader consumer-reported fraud, not the Chase incident.
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