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Zelle® for Your Small Business Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use Zelle® with a small business account?

Eligible small business accounts can send, receive, or request money with Zelle®. To get started, log into the SF Business app or online banking. In the main menu, select "Send money with Zelle®".

Enter your email address or U.S. mobile number, receive a one-time verification code, enter it, accept the terms and conditions, and you’re ready to start sending and receiving money with Zelle®.

To send money with Zelle®, simply select someone from your mobile device’s contacts (or add a trusted recipient’s email address or U.S. mobile number), add the amount you’d like to send and an optional note, review, then hit “Send.” In most cases, the money is available to your recipient in minutes.1

If the small business or consumer you send money to has already enrolled with Zelle® through their banking app, the money is sent directly to their bank account and cannot be canceled. It’s important to only send money to people you trust, and always ensure you’ve used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money.

To receive money using Zelle® with a small business account, share your enrolled email address or U.S. mobile number with your customers and ask them to send you payment with Zelle® right from their banking app. No need to share any sensitive account details. After the consumer sends you payment with Zelle®, you will receive your money directly into your enrolled bank account.

To request money using Zelle® with a small business account, click “Send Money with Zelle®,” select “Request,” enter the individual’s email address or U.S. mobile number, confirm the recipient is correct and tap “Request.”2

If your customer is using Zelle® through their banking app, they’ll be able to pay you with Zelle®. You’ll receive a payment notification once your customer has sent you money in response to your request. If your customer is enrolled in the Zelle® app, they will not be able to send you money with Zelle®, and you should arrange for a different payment method.

How do I  know if my small business is eligible to use Zelle®?

You can use Zelle® if you have an eligible account type. If you do not see your business account listed to enroll in Zelle®, please contact your banker or call us at 877-679-9646.

Are there any fees to use Zelle® with a small business account at Southern First bank?

Yes, Southern First Bank charges $1 per transaction sent or received when using Zelle® with a small business account. Your mobile carrier's messaging and data rates may apply.

Does Zelle® or Southern First Bank offer purchase protection?

Neither Southern First Bank nor Zelle® offers purchase protection for payments made with Zelle®.

Can I reverse or cancel a payment?

No, Zelle® payments cannot be reversed.

You can only cancel a payment if the small business or consumer you sent money to hasn’t yet enrolled with Zelle®. To check whether the payment is still pending because the recipient hasn’t yet enrolled, you can go to your activity page, choose the payment you want to cancel, and then select “Cancel This Payment.” If you do not see this option available, please contact our customer support team at 877-679-9646 for assistance with canceling the pending payment.

If you send money to a small business or consumer that has already enrolled with Zelle® through their bank or credit union’s mobile app, the money is sent directly to their bank account and cannot be canceled. This is why it’s important to only send money to people you know and trust, and always ensure you’ve used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money.

If you try to send money to a consumer who is enrolled in the Zelle® app, the payment won’t go through and a message will pop up to let you know the payment cannot be completed. With small business accounts, Zelle® does not currently support sending or receiving money to users enrolled in the Zelle® app.

If you sent money to the wrong person, please immediately call our customer support team at 877-679-9646 so we can help you.

I believe I've been a victim of a scam. Who should I contact?

Please contact our customer support team at 877-679-9646.

Is my information secure?

Keeping your money and information secure is a top priority for Southern First Bank. When you use Zelle® within our mobile app or online banking, your information is protected with the same technology we use to keep your Southern First Bank account safe.

Can I use Zelle® internationally?

In order to use Zelle®, the sender and recipient's bank or credit union accounts must be based in the U.S.

Are there any differences in the experience between using Zelle® with my personal bank account versus my small business account?

Whether you use Zelle® with a small business account or a consumer account, Zelle® uses the same network to initiate payments to small businesses and consumers. Consumers who are already enrolled with Zelle® through their banking app don’t need to do anything different to send money to a small business. Southern First does not charge a fee to use Zelle® with a consumer account.

The experience is slightly different for small businesses, as small businesses cannot currently send payments to or receive payments from consumers who are only enrolled in the Zelle® app.1 Also, Southern First charges $1 per transaction sent or received when using Zelle® with a small business account.

Who should I call if I have questions or need help?

Please call Southern First Bank at 877-679-9646 so we can help you.

How do I tell my customers that they can pay me with Zelle®?

There are a few ways you can encourage your customers to pay you with Zelle®.

  • Tell customers verbally that you accept payments with Zelle®, and that they can easily send you money right from their banking app.
  • Include it on an invoice. We recommend adding “I accept payments with Zelle®” or “Pay me with Zelle®”.
  • Use Zelle® to request money from your customers (which will send them a notification telling them you’ve requested payment with Zelle®).2
  • Download Zelle® marketing assets for free from zellepay.com and add them to your website, social media and more!

Please note, you’ll only be able to receive payments from consumers using Zelle® through their financial institution’s banking app. You will not be able to receive payments from consumers enrolled in the Zelle® app.

I already use Zelle® through my personal bank account. How do I enroll to use Zelle® with my small business account?

Contact your banker or call us at 877-679-9646 if you don't see Zelle® in the SF Business app or online banking. Once you have Zelle® for your small business account, you can select “Send Money with Zelle®.” Then, enter an email address or U.S. mobile number to connect to your small business bank account.

Important note: If you already use Zelle® for personal use, you must use a different email address or U.S. mobile number than the one you used to enroll your personal bank account. For example, [email protected] would be connected to your personal checking account, and 555-555-1234 would be connected to your small business bank account.

How do I use a Zelle® QR code with a small business account?

Zelle® QR code provides peace of mind knowing you can send and receive money, without typing an email address or U.S. mobile number.

To locate your Zelle® QR code, log into the SF Business app, click "Send Money with Zelle®". Next, go to your "Zelle® settings" and click "Zelle® QR code" and your QR code will be displayed under "My Code". From here you can view your QR code and use the print or share icons to text, email or print your Zelle® QR code. To receive money, share your Zelle® QR code.

To send money, log into the SF Business app, click "Send money with Zelle®", click "Send," then click on the QR code icon displayed at the top of the "Select Recipient" screen. Once you allow access to your camera, simply point your camera at the recipient's Zelle® QR code, enter the amount, hit "Send," and the money is on the way! When sending money to someone new, it's always important to confirm the recipient is correct by reviewing the displayed name before sending money.

1 To send or receive money with a small business, both parties must be enrolled with Zelle® directly through their financial institution’s online or mobile banking experience. Transactions between enrolled users typically occur in minutes.

2 Payment requests to persons not already enrolled with Zelle® must be sent to an email address.

Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.