By Em Helena | Published
Exploiting a temporary glitch in Chase Bank’s ATM system, a new TikTok trend encouraged viewers to commit check fraud — and while it appeared to be a fun way to make some quick money and get more views, many of the participants are now facing legal action.
Over Labor Day weekend, several creators promoted an “infinite money glitch” at Chase ATMs, depositing checks with no available funds, but the glitch allowed them to instantly withdraw money they weren’t supposed to be able to withdraw. Some users made as much as $40,000, and many immediately began spending the cash.
These videos went viral, and many viewers were inspired to try the Chase bug for themselves, touting their efforts on social media, but most quickly realized that this new viral trend was actually a disguised federal crime, making the views on the videos completely worthless.
As soon as Chase was notified of the glitch, they quickly reported the unauthorized withdrawals that had taken place over the weekend and began rectifying the situation, which left those who participated in the trend with significant debt. One user was shocked when they checked their balance to see that their account showed a negative balance of $11,000, many of which were subsequently locked.
These videos went viral, inspiring many viewers to try out the Chase glitch for themselves and publicize their success on social media.
Chase has yet to disclose how much money was stolen in the glitch, but said it is working hard to trace the missing funds, which could mean a court hearing is coming soon for the TikTok user who posted the dollar bill-dispersing video.
The Chase Bank glitch isn’t the only harmful TikTok trend to emerge over the past year.
For those who aren’t already aware, this Chase glitch is actually just check fraud. Due to the sheer amount of money some users withdrew, their crimes are classified as felonies, which carry hefty fees and prison time. Austin Allred, CEO of coding bootcamp Bloom Institute of Technology, posted on X that “for every type of scam that exists, there seems to be a TikTok influencer who thinks it’s impossible to spot.”
The Chase glitch isn’t the only harmful TikTok trend to emerge over the past year. While less widespread, many users may remember the “Kia challenge,” in which some creators figured out they could jump-start a Kia with a USB plug after peeling back the steering column cover and removing the ignition cylinder.
Trends like Kia Boys and Chase Bank glitches really bring to mind the old adage, “If your friend jumps off a bridge, will you jump off?”
Videos of young people driving around in stolen cars have been posted to TikTok, and those caught have been quickly punished. YouTube creator Tommy G recently released a short documentary about the trend. The Kia Boys Documentary: A Tale of Teen Car Theft.
Trends like Kia Boys and the Chase Bank glitch bring to mind the old saying, “If your friend jumps off a bridge, would you jump off?” Unfortunately, for many TikTok users, the answer seems to be “Yes!” At this time, it’s unclear how Chase Bank expects participants to repay them, but we’re sure they will, because unfortunately, there’s no such thing as free money.
