(Bloomberg) -- Wells Fargo & Co. said US authorities are scrutinizing how consumer complaints about Zelle payments are handled, following larger rival JPMorgan Chase & Co. in acknowledging behind-the-scenes interest in what has been a hot political topic in Washington.

“Government authorities have been conducting formal or informal inquiries or investigations regarding the handling of customer disputes related to fund transfers made through the Zelle Network,” the San Francisco-based bank wrote in a quarterly filing Thursday. It didn’t elaborate.

Scams using peer-to-peer systems such as Zelle and Venmo have prompted calls by regulators and lawmakers for financial firms to improve consumer protections and make victims whole. Democratic senators, including Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed, publicly pressed Zelle this year to clarify its policies and broaden the circumstances under which victims are reimbursed. 

JPMorgan disclosed in February that it also has been responding to inquiries from authorities over its handling of Zelle fund-transfer disputes. Neither JPMorgan nor Wells Fargo have been accused of wrongdoing.

Citigroup Inc., meanwhile, has been fighting a lawsuit filed by the State of New York that claims it hasn’t enacted sufficient safety measures and security protocols to prevent fraudsters from stealing money, including through wire transfers and payment apps. In a recent court filing, the firm said the state’s lawsuit was an attempt to add consumer protections without federal legislation.

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