Venmo Calling Me About a Payment Scam Alert

Venmo has been known to call users about payment scam alerts, but it's essential to verify the authenticity of these calls.

If you receive a call from Venmo, be cautious and don't provide any sensitive information.

Venmo will never ask you to provide your Venmo password or other sensitive information over the phone.

Be cautious of fake customer support lines that may appear in Google search results, as they can be run by scammers trying to get you to pay for support. Make sure to only call companies using the customer service numbers found on their websites or on your monthly statement.

Scammers can also get fake customer support lines to show up in Google search results to trick you into paying for support. This is a common tactic used by thieves.

To avoid falling for these scams, always verify the authenticity of a customer service line before calling. Don't trust numbers found through a search engine or from unsolicited messages.

Some scammers may try to get you to invest in stocks or crypto with the promise of a nice payout, but you'll never get your money back, much less more than you paid. This is a classic sign of a make-money-quick scam.

You can avoid these scams by steering clear of money transfers to or from strangers on the app. Be wary of unsolicited messages or calls promising easy money through Venmo.

If you see unauthorized activity in your Venmo account, you may have been hacked. In this case, you’ll want to immediately secure your account to prevent further losses.

Don't click suspicious links, especially if they're asking you to sign into your Venmo account. Random Venmo messages saying to click a link to sign in are a scam.

Be suspicious of messaging that says you won money but need to log into Venmo to get your prize. Chances are good the message is a full-fledged scam.

You should never enter your login information anywhere other than the Venmo website or mobile app. Venmo says it will never email you from an address that ends in anything other than venmo.com.

Venmo scams can be sneaky, but there are some common ones to watch out for. The fake prize scam is a popular one, where someone reaches out saying you've won a prize and asks you to log into your Venmo account to claim it.

Be suspicious of any messaging that says you've won money but need to log into Venmo to get your prize. Chances are good the message is a full-fledged scam, and Venmo warns you to never enter your login information anywhere other than the Venmo website or mobile app.

Another scam to be aware of is the tech support scam. Thieves might get fake customer support lines to show up in Google search results and try to get you to pay for technical support by sending money to someone via your Venmo account. Make sure you only call companies using the customer service numbers found on their websites or on your monthly statement.

Here are some common Venmo scams and how to avoid them:

Venmo says you should never enter your login information anywhere other than the Venmo website or mobile app. If you're unsure about a message or request, it's always better to err on the side of caution and report it to Venmo.

Romance scams can be carried out through fake payments on Venmo. They often start on dating websites and apps, where scammers build trust and commitment over months before asking for cash.

The scammer might say they need money to buy a plane ticket or get out of a financial jam. You should never send money to someone you meet online and haven't met in person, and thoroughly trust.

Sophisticated scammers may ask victims to invest in crypto or send cash using Venmo or their bank account. They might also ask for wire transfers through Western Union or MoneyGram, or ask for gift card PIN codes.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that these types of requests almost always mean a scam is underway. You should be cautious if someone you've met online asks for money or financial favors.

Venmo transfers are treated like cash, so once the money is received, there's no way to force the recipient to return it. You can try to resolve the issue yourself, but Venmo won't step in until you've made an effort to resolve the issue.

Some common payment app scams include fake payment confirmations, where a scammer sends a spoofed email or screenshot to make it look like they've made the payment. Don't ship an item until the funds appear in your Venmo balance.

Here are some common Venmo scams and how to avoid them:

If you've fallen victim to a scammer on Venmo, it's essential to take immediate action to prevent further harassment. Block the scammer to prevent them from showing up in your network or sending you money requests or payments.

To block a scammer on Venmo, use the search bar at the top of the app to find their profile page. Then, tap on the three circles ("...") in the upper-right corner of the screen and select "Block."

Blocking a user won't automatically log you out of your account, but you do need to log out and then back in for the block to take effect. This ensures the scammer is fully removed from your network and can't cause any further issues.

Fake payment confirmation scams are a thing, and they're sneaky. A scammer will negotiate a purchase with you online, then claim they've paid or that Venmo is holding the payment until you upload shipping information.

Be wary of spoofed emails with faked screenshots that make it look like the payment has gone through. There's no feature on Venmo to hold payments until sellers ship items.

Don't ship anything until the funds appear in your Venmo balance. It's a simple rule to follow, but it can save you from a world of trouble.

You can't force someone to return money once they've received it, so don't bother trying. Venmo transfers are treated like cash, and there's no way to get it back.

Venmo won't step in until you've tried to resolve the issue yourself, so be prepared to take the lead. In some cases, the "scam" may actually just be a mistake or misunderstanding.

If you're trying to get your money back, you'll need to try one or more of the following steps: sending a charge request to the recipient, trying to reverse a pending payment, filing for Venmo Purchase Protection, contacting Venmo support, filing a police report, informing your bank or credit card company of the fraud, reporting and blocking the Venmo scammer, freezing your credit, and filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

Don't fall for fake prize scams, which often involve a link to sign into your Venmo account to claim a prize. These links don't go to Venmo, but rather to a lookalike page that tricks you into sharing your log-in and password.

Here are some common Venmo scams and how to avoid them:

Venmo says it will never email you from an address that ends in anything other than venmo.com, so be on the lookout for suspicious emails.

You shouldn't have to pay anything to start a new job. If you're unsure, search online for the company offering you the job, along with keywords like "scam", "review", or "legit." If they're trying to scam you, they've probably scammed others too.

Fake job offers are a common scam tactic, where scammers create fake remote job ads to lure in unsuspecting job seekers. These scammers will often conduct fake interviews and offer you the job, but with a catch - you have to pay bogus onboarding fees through Venmo.

Always remember, if a job offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don't fall for fake job offers that require you to pay anything to start a new job.

Venmo transfers are treated like cash, so once the money is received, there's no way to force the recipient to return it.

Scammers often use social engineering tactics, like phishing, to trick you into clicking links with malware or viruses, or transferring money. Venmo scams can involve fake payment confirmations, where scammers send a spoofed email with a faked screenshot to make it look like they've made the payment.

To avoid this, never ship an item until the funds appear in your Venmo balance. Venmo won't hold payments until sellers ship items.

Scammers may also pretend to be customer support agents, claiming there's an issue with your account and asking for personal information to "fix it." Hang up and don't engage – contact customer support directly through official channels.

Some common Venmo scams include fake prize scams, where scammers say you've won a prize or cash award and ask you to log into your Venmo account to claim it. Be suspicious of messaging that says you won money but need to log into Venmo to get your prize.

Venmo will never email you from an address that ends in anything other than venmo.com, and you should never enter your login information anywhere other than the Venmo website or mobile app.

Here are some common Venmo scams to watch out for:

These scams all use social engineering tactics to get you to send a payment or share your password. Remember, Venmo will never ask you to access your account on a fake page or share a multi-factor authentication code over the phone.

If you're being contacted by someone claiming to be from Venmo, don't panic. You can report the issue by going to Venmo's official contact page.

You'll need to submit a complaint through a proper channel, which is a straightforward process.

To report scam texts or calls, write to [email protected]. Don't hesitate to reach out if you're unsure about what to do next.

If you receive a phishing email, send it directly to [email protected]. This will help Venmo's team identify and block suspicious emails.

Submit any evidence you have about the scam, including images, to support your complaint.