We want your experience on Venmo to be as fun and effortless as possible. Here’s some information to help you avoid common scams.
If you believe you have been the victim of a scam on Venmo, please contact our Support team.
Remember: You should only use Venmo to buy or sell goods or services when in accordance with our User Agreement.
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Text messages pretending to be Venmo Fake Payment Confirmation or Request for Tracking Details |
Fake Prize or Cash Reward
Details:
- Scammer may send a text message or email with a link saying that you have won money from Venmo
- The link may ask you to sign into your Venmo account, or to enter information about your Venmo account
How to avoid this scam:
- Never enter Venmo log-in information outside of Venmo.com and the Venmo app
- Do not provide Venmo account information on social media except to official Venmo accounts
- Venmo's accounts on Twitter are @Venmo and @VenmoSupport
- We are @Venmo on Instagram and @Venmo on Facebook
- Venmo will only email you from an email address ending in "venmo.com"
What it might look like:
Call Pretending To Be Venmo
Details:
- The scammer may try to sign into your account and encounter Venmo's multi-factor authentication process. This process requires the person signing in to enter a code sent to the phone number on the Venmo account. They will then call you pretending to be from Venmo and say they need you to provide them the code.
- Other common variations are saying they are with Venmo and need you to log into the account they created for you, or ask you to send a payment to another Venmo account.
How to avoid this scam:
- NEVER provide the verification code sent to your phone to anyone. A Venmo agent will never ask you for this code under any circumstances.
- Venmo will never ask to access your device remotely.
- Venmo will never ask you to install a third-party app.
- Venmo will never create an account on your behalf.
- Venmo will never direct you to send money from your Venmo account to another user via a different payment platform.
- Venmo will never ask you to send money to "verify" your account.
What it might sound like:
"Good morning, Sir. John here with Venmo Support. We have noticed some recent transactions on your account that appear to be unauthorized. Before we get started, I need to confirm that I am speaking with the owner of the account. I have just sent a verification code to your phone. For authentication purposes, can you please read me that code?"
Text Messages Pretending to be Venmo
Details
- The scammer may impersonate Venmo and try to get you to log into your account via a fake version of our multi-factor authentication process. Our process requires the person signing in to enter a code sent to the phone number on the Venmo account. They may send you a fake version of this message with a link to a site that will phish your personal information, like your Venmo password.
How to avoid this scam:
- Our multi-factor authentication message does not contain a link for you to click. Avoid clicking links in unexpected text messages.
- If you have any doubt about the authenticity of a message, contact Venmo Support directly.
- Learn more about reporting fake or suspicious text messages or emails to Venmo Support.
What this scam looks like:
Call Pretending To Be Tech Support
Details:
- You attempt to call tech support for a well-known company but end up reaching a phone line run by a scammer.
- They may direct you to make a payment for their technical services by sending money to another Venmo user.
How to avoid this scam:
- Instead of searching for a company’s phone number using a search engine, type in the company’s website directly and go to their Contact page.
- Keep in mind that it is extremely rare for a company to require payment for their technical help. Companies want you to use their services/product, so tech support is typically free.
What it might sound like:
“Hello, thank you for calling (major company name) Support. Andrew here, ready to help! Before we get started, I will need to take your payment for our assistance today. Do you have a Venmo account? If not, I’d be happy to help you create one!”
When You're Selling Something To A Stranger
Details:
- A scammer may ask to provide the item or service without actually paying you legitimate funds
- A scammer may send screenshots of fake emails that make it seem like they’ve paid you on Venmo when they haven’t actually made a payment
- Another common tactic is telling you they’ve sent you a payment that will only reach your Venmo account when you ship the item and upload the shipping information. But this is fake, and it’s not a feature Venmo provides
- A scammer may pay you using stolen credit cards or bank information. If the actual owner of the payment method reports unauthorized activity, the money could be removed from your Venmo account
How to avoid this scam:
- Don’t use Venmo to sell anything to strangers except for in situations that are in accordance with our User Agreement
- Venmo will only email you from an email address ending in "venmo.com"
What it might look like:
When You're Buying Something From A Stranger
Details:
- If you’re trying to buy something using Venmo, a scammer may try and persuade you to pay them first (the full or partial amount) and then not provide what they promised you
- This is especially common with items that are rare, popular, and hard to find (like gaming consoles, shoes, concert tickets, mobile devices, and more)
- A scammer may give you fake shipping information or screenshots to convince you they’ve sent the item when they actually haven’t.
- They may ask you to not mark the payment as a purchase. When you tag a payment to a personal profile as a purchase, your payments for eligible items will be covered by Purchase Protection, and you can contact us afterward if something goes wrong.
How to avoid this scam:
- Only buy things from strangers on Venmo if you’re purchasing from a Venmo approved business account or if you mark the payment to a personal profile as a purchase.
- Approved business accounts will say “Eligible items covered by Purchase Protection” under the “Pay” button.
What it might look like:
Someone Pretends To Be Your Friend And Sends or Requests Money
Details:
- A scammer may change their username and profile picture to impersonate someone you may know.
- Using information visible in the public feed, the scammer either sends money then requests it back, or will request money from individuals who have transacted with your friend in the past.
- The situation will often seem unusual and indicate a time-sensitive issue
How to avoid this scam:
- If you get an unusual payment or request for money from someone who looks like a friend, double-check that the request is actually from your friend (before accepting the payment request).
- At times, bad actors may attempt to replicate a profile picture to impersonate your friend on Venmo. You can tap on their profile to confirm their public transaction history and network information.
- When in doubt, you can reach out to your friend outside of Venmo to verify that the request is legitimate.
- Update the privacy settings for your friends list and your transaction history.
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If you have received a payment or sent the user money, contact our Support team
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Block the other user to prevent further interactions
What it might look like:
Payments from Strangers
Details:
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A stranger may send a payment to you, then contact you to say they sent it by mistake
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They will then ask you to send the money back as a new payment
How to avoid this scam:
- It’s best not to exchange payments with people who you don’t know
- If you don’t know the person who paid you, you should contact us as soon as possible so we can help reverse the payment
- To help prevent this from happening in the future, we recommend blocking users who send unsolicited payments or requests
Offers To Make Money Fast
Details:
- A scammer might ask you to send them a small amount of money in order to receive a large amount in return. (For example: “Send me $100, and in a week you’ll get $1,000”)
- This might be a stranger, but it also might be someone you know
- This type of scam goes by a few different names: pyramid scheme, money circle, cash wheel
- The scammer collects your money but never pays you back
How to avoid this scam:
- If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Know whom you’re dealing with.
What it might look like:
Paper Check Scam
Details:
- A scammer might send you a check and ask you to send them a payment on Venmo in return.
- The check will typically clear when you cash it with your bank, but will later bounce, causing you to have to repay your bank.
How to avoid this scam:
- Do not exchange a check for a payment on Venmo.
What it might look like:
Romance Scam
Details:
- A scammer may reach out to you online with a fake profile and photo.
- After they gain your trust, they may make desperate emotional pleas to trick you into sending money.
- They may ask for money for plane or bus tickets, rent a hotel, or other expenses to come visit you.
- Sometimes they request money in exchange for goods or services, or an investment opportunity.
How to avoid this scam:
- You should only use Venmo to buy or sell goods or services when in accordance with our User Agreement.
- Do not loan money to people you do not know.
What it might look like:
Scams involving crypto
Learn more about avoiding scams, especially scams involving crypto.
Examples Of Other Situations That Could Be Scams
- Any new job offer that requires you to pay upfront to onboard or move someone else's money using your Venmo account or bank account.
- New landlord wants you to pay a rent deposit for a property without them providing appropriate paperwork, keys, etc.
- Someone pressuring you to send money by manufacturing crisis situations or events that urge you to make snap decisions.