Chase customers who perpetrated a viral check fraud scheme will soon have to pay

New York (CNN) — So long for all that “free” money.

Customers who allegedly fraudulently withdrew money from Chase Bank ATMs using illegal scheme that blew up on TikTok over the summer may soon be forced to return big checks to the bank.

These people could withdraw by writing checks to themselves and withdrawing immediately before the checks bounced. Banks usually follow an industry standard whereby a portion of any check is given to customers before the funds are disbursed. However, the temporary glitch allowed customers to withdraw larger amounts than normally allowed before the check cleared.

The bank is now suing four customers who allegedly owe the bank nearly $662,000, according to four lawsuits filed Monday in three federal courts by JPMorgan Chase Bank, Chase’s parent company.

One case in Houston involved a “masked man” who allegedly deposited a $335,000 check into the defendant’s account. Chase claims the defendant owes it $291,000 — the most in all four cases — the bank said Monday in the Texas case.

In all four cases, Chase said it contacted the defendants, requiring them to “pay the amount of any overdraft, together with any applicable fees.” However, the defendants have so far failed to do so, which the bank claims is a violation of the deposit agreement that customers are required to sign when opening an account.

Now, in addition to returning the funds they allegedly illegally accessed, Chase is demanding the defendants pay the bank’s legal fees and other costs associated with the cases.

JPMorgan also filed lawsuits in federal courts in Florida and California.

“Fraud is a crime that affects everyone and undermines trust in the banking system,” Drew Pusateri, a Chase spokesman, said in an emailed statement to CNN. “We are investigating these cases and actively working with law enforcement to make sure that if anyone commits fraud against Chase and its customers, they are held accountable.”

Pusateri added that the bank is “open to pursuing other individuals or entities that we believe are involved in bank fraud.”

JPMorgan Chase is the largest US bank by assets with approximately $3.5 trillion.