JPMorgan Chase filed lawsuits Monday against customers who allegedly stole more than $661,000 through a technical glitch that went viral on social media as an “infinite money glitch,” allowing fraudulent withdrawals from ATMs before deposited checks could bounce.
The bank filed four separate federal lawsuits in Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami against two individuals and two businesses, seeking to recover the stolen funds plus interest, overdraft fees, and legal expenses.
In the largest case, a Houston customer owes JPMorgan $290,939.47 after an unidentified masked accomplice deposited a counterfeit check for $335,000 on August 29. The customer then “began withdrawing the vast majority of the ill-gotten funds” before the check was rejected on September 4, according to court filings.
“Chase takes its responsibility to combat fraud seriously and prioritises protecting the firm and its customers to make the banking system safer,” the bank stated in court documents.
TikTok videos made the “loophole” viral
The scheme gained traction in late August when videos on TikTok showed people celebrating large cash withdrawals from Chase ATMs shortly after depositing bad checks. The viral posts described it as a “loophole” in the bank’s system.
“Fraud is a crime that impacts everyone and undermines trust in the banking system,” JPMorgan spokesman Drew Pusateri told CNBC. “We’re pursuing these cases and actively cooperating with law enforcement to make sure if someone is committing fraud against Chase and its customers, they’re held accountable.”
While banks typically allow customers to withdraw only a fraction of a check’s value before it clears, the technical vulnerability enabled immediate access to the full amount.
JPMorgan closed the loophole within days of the videos going viral and is now investigating thousands of potential fraud cases, according to reports.
