Dear Liz: I pay rent via check (yes, I am aware of the risks). My landlord would prefer that I use Zelle, which has drawbacks.

People have had their bank accounts drained.

Also, I heard that peer-to-peer money transfer apps should only be used by friends and family, not for business, and not for large sums of money.

Answer: As you may know, Zelle payments are made instantly. If you send the money to the wrong party, you could be out of luck.

Federal law protects you if your account was hacked, but not if you make a mistake or have been duped into sending money to a scam artist. (Zelle does investigate allegations of fraud, however, and may return the money if you’ve been deceived.)

Many people are comfortable using Zelle and other payment systems to send money to people and businesses they know well, while others aren’t.

If you continue to use checks, make sure to mail them directly at the post office or use a shipping service that offers a tracking number, such as Fedex. Monitor your account closely and set up alerts that notify you when checks over a certain amount are cashed.

Fraud related to check theft has soared, so you’ll need to be extra vigilant if you continue sending paper checks.

Are 457(b) accounts insured?

Dear Liz:As an employee of a public agency that offers a 457(b) account, it would be helpful to know if these accounts are insured in a manner similar to a 401(k).

Answer:Employer-provided, tax-deferred 457(b) accounts are quite similar to 401(k)s. Both allow employees to make pretax contributions to a retirement account that can be invested for future growth. The accounts aren’t insured the same way bank accounts are, but the money is kept in a separate trust that’s protected from creditors.

Liz Weston, Certified Financial Planner, is a personal finance columnist for NerdWallet. Questions may be sent to her at 3940 Laurel Canyon, No. 238, Studio City, CA 91604, or by using the “Contact” form at asklizweston.com.