Texas: Did You Get Fooled By The Chase Bank “Glitch?”

So, here’s the situation: what started as a viral TikTok trend involving some "too good to be true" financial advice has now landed thousands of Chase customers in serious trouble. People were trying to cash in on what they thought was a glitch in the system, but as Chase has made abundantly clear, there was no glitch—just a whole lot of fraud.

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Let’s break it down.

How This Trend Got Out of Hand

The whole thing started with social media posts suggesting there was a loophole with Chase Bank’s ATM machines. According to these posts, people could deposit a check for more money than they actually had and then withdraw cash before the bank caught on. Naturally, this spread like wildfire on TikTok, with people dancing in front of ATMs and flashing their newfound “riches.” Not exactly subtle.

But here’s the kicker: it wasn’t a glitch at all. This was classic check fraud, known in banking circles as “check-kiting,” where people were pulling out cash before the checks were flagged as bad. The reality? It’s illegal. No matter what TikTok says, that’s just not how banking works.

Chase Steps In: What Happens When You Mess with the Bank

Chase Bank was quick to respond after noticing this trend picking up steam. They’ve frozen thousands of accounts suspected of participating in the scam, leaving many people with some eye-watering negative balances. Imagine waking up and seeing a bunch of zeroes… but not in the way you hoped.

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And Chase didn’t stop there. They’ve handed over these cases to law enforcement, which means those folks who thought they’d outsmarted the bank may now find themselves facing criminal charges. Depending on the amount involved, check fraud can land you fines or even jail time. California, for example, could slap you with up to a year in prison for misdemeanor check fraud. And if you’re in New York? Well, you might be looking at three months behind bars.

A Chase spokesperson made it clear: “Depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds from your account is fraud, plain and simple.” In other words, those “life hacks” weren’t life hacks at all.

What Social Media Doesn't Tell You: The Real Consequences

So, where do things stand now? Chase is still cleaning up the mess, and many accounts are frozen while investigations continue. Some people are deep in debt after the bank retroactively pulled back the money they withdrew. It turns out that taking out $50,000 from a bogus check doesn’t mean you’ve beaten the system—it just means you’re now $50,000 in the hole.

And sure, TikTok tried to flag these videos with warnings, but by then, the damage was done. Thousands of people jumped on the trend, thinking they’d found a quick and easy way to get rich. Spoiler alert: they didn’t.

Now, aside from potential jail time, these individuals could be dealing with long-term consequences. Losing access to banking services, having a criminal record, and potentially never being able to secure a loan again are just a few of the things that could come out of this ill-advised decision. All for a viral moment? Not worth it.

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The Bigger Picture: Lessons Learned

At the end of the day, this whole mess is a good reminder that social media isn’t where you should go for financial advice. Just because someone with a smartphone and a TikTok account says something works doesn’t mean it’s legit—or legal, for that matter. It’s easy to get swept up in the hype, especially when you see people seemingly “winning” by bending the rules. But the reality is, banks have safeguards in place for a reason, and they will always catch up to you.

So, for anyone tempted to try the next viral financial trend? Maybe think twice. Google is free, and understanding your bank’s policies could save you from a whole lot of headaches.

In this case, a bunch of people thought they found a loophole, but they only ended up with frozen accounts, a heap of debt, and a date with law enforcement. Not exactly the kind of #lifehack that goes viral for the right reasons.

Closing Thought: At the end of the day, if it sounds too good to be true—especially when it involves large sums of cash—it probably is. Social media trends come and go, but consequences? Those tend to stick around.