Regaining access to a Chime bank account is a pivotal action for many. Otherwise, not only do you risk losing access to all your hard-earned money, but also leave the balance open to abuse by malicious individuals. There’s simply no reason to waste a moment knowing you’ve forgotten your credentials. The same applies if you fell for a phishing attack or were part of a data leak. Sadly, many users feel ashamed to admit they lost the information, especially if it was their fault. Thankfully, we have good news. You can learn how to recover a Chime bank account yourself and only reach out if it’s necessary. Let’s begin.
1. Recover Chime bank account with a forgotten password
Unsurprisingly, the security measures surrounding your bank account with Chime are rigorous. After all, you want someone else slowed down or deterred from gaining easy access. Plus, it reflects poorly on the company if it were easy to sign in. With the right credentials, however, the procedure is straightforward. With that acknowledged, recovering a Chime bank account without a password works like this:
- Visit the Chime Reset Account Password page.
- Enter the e-mail address of your account for Chime.
- Enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security number (SSN).
Reminder. Chime is a digital-only bank, and you, or someone else in your stead, had to provide an SSN, i.e., legally had to be a United States citizen to get your application accepted. - Click on Submit.
- Despite having no mention of a phone number, you’ll receive a verification code to the one Chime has on record.
- Enter the code into the designated text field.
- A password reset link is sent to your e-mail address. Open it and click on the Reset Password button.
- Enter a new password twice. Chime will specify whether it was successful.
- The next time you sign in to the Chime mobile app (preferably immediately) you must set a new 4-digit security code.
If you are logged in somewhere
With the availability of this online bank’s services across platforms, it’s no surprise you’re still signed in on one of your devices. While it isn’t recommended you set up auto-filling, if you did, now’s the time to check that in your browser. However, even if you succeed, you are still restricted on what you can do. Thankfully, there’s a way to reset your account credentials in one go. Here’s what to do:
- Launch the Chime app or visit the official website.
- Open your account Dashboard.
- Go to Settings.
- Find your account details under “Account Profile”.
- Tap or click the pen icon to edit them.
- After you’re done, authenticate changes in a way Chime requests, i.e., SMS code or proof of identity.
2. Recovering Chime bank account if you forgot e-mail address
Like with most two-factor authentication methods today, e-mail address, phone number, and a code or token from an Authenticator app play a crucial role. As you saw above, the first two are instrumental to the recovery of a Chime account. Thus, if you lost your e-mail address, do the following:
- Use the sign-in page above and fail to log in. Chime should offer you an option to reset your email address shortly. Alternatively, head over to the Chime Forgot Email Address page directly.
- Enter your phone number and click on Submit.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to bring Chime account recovery to a close.
3. I lost or changed the phone number tied to my Chime account. What now?
As mentioned, logging in is subject to strict guidelines and impossible without a phone number. However, if you got a new phone number and lost access to the one tied to your Chime account, don’t despair. Follow these steps to recover your Chime bank account without a phone number:
- Download a Chime app for Android or iOS if you don’t have one.
- Install and open the app before tapping the Log In button on the home screen.
- Select Need Help? before tapping on I forgot my password.
- Enter your email address and the 4 digits at the end of your SSN into two text fields.
- Because you can’t access your old phone number, wait a bit.
- Tap on Having trouble? Update my phone number when it appears.
- Chime will now ask you to upload your personal details in the form of images:
- Government-issued ID from the United States.
- Three selfies (hence the app was necessary): Take a selfie from three different angles the app instructs you on.
- If successfully authenticated, you can type a new phone number.
- An authentication code will arrive in the form of an SMS. Enter it within the app.
- With that, feel free to log back into your Chime account again by tapping on Go to Sign In.
- For security reasons, you must set a new password upon signing in.
4. My Chime account is on hold, disabled, or hacked. What do I do?
These are complex issues with many individual causes. Lucky for you, this online banking service decided to make the resolution identical:
- Account is on hold: Access to the account is paused until they investigate suspicious activity. If it doesn’t disappear shortly, send an email to [email protected], and you’ll get a response within 24 hours.
- Account was closed: Chime detected a breach of Terms of Use or a forbidden activity. Use the same email to reach out.
- You suspect hacking: Try changing credentials using the methods above. If that doesn’t work, send a message to the aforementioned email address.
- Someone created an account in your name: Impersonation is a common concern, especially with a bank that doesn’t have physical stores. Same email and time window apply.
5. Contact Chime Member Support
The email above is reserved for specific uses. You’ll get a faster response and can inquire about a wider array of issues by contacting Chime Member Support:
- By calling. Dial (844) 244-6363. Add +1 in front if you’re outside the United States. The number is available 24×7.
- Using email. Send a message to [email protected] with your question.
- Using live chat. Open the Chime app, then open chat in the upper right corner of the home screen.