Venmo scams: how to spot them

What it looks like

Other forms it takes

How the scam plays out

1. A payment from someone you don’t know lands in your Venmo, say $400.
2. Soon they message you: it was a mistake, it was meant for rent, please send it back as a new payment.
3. You send $400 of your own money. Their payment may have come from a stolen card or bank account.
4. When the real owner reports it, the money they sent can be taken back out of your account. You’re left $400 short.
5. A paper check works the same way: it seems to clear when you cash it, then bounces, and you have to repay your bank.

Signs it’s a scam

• Money from someone you don’t know, followed by a request to send it back.
• A buyer who says you need a Venmo “business account” and must pay a fee.
• Emails about payments that don’t show up in your app.

What to do

1. Don’t send money back yourself. Tell them to dispute it, or contact Venmo support in the app.
2. Only trust payments you can see in the Venmo app.
3. Use Venmo only with people you know.

How to check if it’s real

1. Only trust what you see in the Venmo app or at venmo.com. If an email mentions a payment or request that isn’t in the app, the email may be fake.
2. Venmo emails come from addresses ending in venmo.com. Venmo sometimes texts from 86753.
3. To reach Venmo, open the app and go to Me > Settings > Get Help > Chat With Us, then ask for an agent.
4. If a “friend” asks for money, call or text them the way you usually do, outside Venmo, before you pay.

Already clicked, paid or shared something?

1. Got money from a stranger? Don’t send it back yourself and don’t move it. Contact Venmo support so they can help reverse it.
2. Sent money to a scammer? Chat with Venmo support right away. Have the date, the amount and the @username you paid ready.
3. Bought something from a stranger? If you marked the payment as a purchase, eligible items are covered by Venmo’s Purchase Protection. Tell support.
4. Typed your login into a fake site? Change your Venmo password now, and call your bank and card company.
5. If money was taken from a linked bank account or card, call the number on your card and ask them to reverse it.
6. Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Where to report it

• Send fake Venmo emails, text screenshots and call details to phishing@venmo.com
• Report it to the FTC

Related scams

• Cash App scams: what to watch for
• Zelle scams: how they work and what to do
• Facebook Marketplace scams: buyers and sellers
• Make a family safe word

Sources

• Venmo: Common scams on Venmo
• Venmo: Payment from a stranger
• Venmo: Reporting fake or suspicious messages or emails
• Venmo: Unauthorized charge on my account
• FTC: What to do if you were scammed