Zelle says it does not provide purchase protection when a purchase does not arrive or is not as expected. Your financial institution may offer protections under its own terms. An authorized payment for work that was not completed is different from a payment made without your permission. See Zelle: Purchase protection and paying someone you do not know.
Contact your bank promptly
Use contact details from your bank's official website or app. Explain who initiated the payment, what you agreed to and what happened. Ask which process applies, what evidence is required and whether there are reporting deadlines. Keep a reference number. Describe an authorized payment accurately, even if you now believe you were misled; do not relabel it as unauthorized to seek a refund.
For an unresolved issue with a financial institution, the CFPB: Submit a complaint about a bank or payment app explains its complaint process. Suspected scams can also be reported to the FTC: Report fraud. Reporting does not guarantee reimbursement or individual enforcement action.
Document a request to the contractor
If appropriate and safe, a factual written request can record what you agreed to, what you paid, what happened, and the resolution you want. A response date is a request, not automatically an enforceable deadline. Check any applicable notice and delivery requirements before sending. A template cannot determine whether you are entitled to the amount requested or ensure that the contractor responds.
Check local licensing and complaint processes
Look up the relevant state or local licensing authority and ask whether it accepts your type of complaint. Licensing requirements and agency powers vary. Filing a complaint does not ensure payment or action against a license. Your USA.gov: Find your state consumer protection office may identify other complaint channels.
Research whether small claims is available
Keep the payment confirmation and messages, but do not assume that they establish every part of a claim or identify the correct defendant. Ask the relevant court's self-help service about eligibility, deadlines, fees and service of documents. Winning and collecting payment are separate matters; see California Courts: Collecting a judgment (California example) for an example of collection procedures. A licensed attorney can assess your situation.
Before making another payment
Review the payment service's protections, verify the business details and ask for the scope, payment schedule and cancellation terms in writing. A particular payment method alone does not establish that a contractor is dishonest, and no payment method guarantees recovery.