Common Venmo scams include fake Venmo support asking for your login code, sellers who take payment and never deliver, buyers with fake payment screenshots, and accounts copying your friends. Venmo says it will never ask for your verification code or ask you to send money to verify your account, and tagging a payment as a purchase is what gives you Purchase Protection.
Venmo started as a way to split dinner with friends, and that's still where it's safest. Problems start when you pay or sell to people you don't know, or when someone convinces you they're Venmo. Venmo's own help centre lists the scams it sees most. Here's each one in plain English, with the one setting most people skip.
The purchase tag scammers want you to skip
If you buy something from a stranger on Venmo, the most important thing you can do is mark the payment as a purchase. Venmo says payments to a personal profile tagged as a purchase are covered by Purchase Protection for eligible items, so you can contact Venmo if something goes wrong. Approved business accounts show "Eligible items covered by Purchase Protection" under the Pay button.
That's why scammers ask you not to tag it. They'll say it saves fees or speeds things up. If a seller asks you to send it as a payment between friends, take that as your answer.
Scams when you're buying
Venmo says these are most common with rare, popular, hard-to-find items: gaming consoles, trainers, concert tickets, phones. The seller wants the full amount or a deposit first, sends fake tracking or screenshots, and never ships. Only buy from strangers if it's an approved business account or you've tagged the payment as a purchase.
Scams when you're selling
- Fake screenshots. A buyer sends an image or email that looks like a Venmo payment. Check your own Venmo balance, not their screenshot.
- "The payment releases when you ship." The buyer says the money will reach your account once you upload tracking. Venmo says that's fake and isn't a feature it offers.
- Stolen payment methods. The buyer pays with a stolen card or bank account. If the real owner reports it, Venmo says the money can be taken back out of your account, after you've handed over the item.
Fake Venmo support and login codes
This is the most damaging one. A scammer tries to log in to your account, which makes Venmo text a code to your phone. Then they call, pretending to be Venmo, and ask you to read out the code "to verify" you. Give it and they're in.
| Venmo says it will never | What a scammer will do |
|---|---|
| Ask for the verification code sent to your phone | Call and ask you to read it out |
| Ask you to send money to verify your account | Say a payment is needed to confirm your identity |
| Tell you to move money to another payment platform | Ask you to send it via a different app to "secure" it |
| Email you from anything but an address ending in venmo.com | Send links from lookalike addresses |
| Include a link in its multi-factor message | Send a link to a fake login page |
Friend impersonation
A scammer copies a friend's name and photo, then uses the public feed to find people who've paid that friend before. They send an urgent request, or send money then ask for it back. Venmo's advice: tap the profile and check its transaction history, and contact your friend another way before you pay. Making your friends list and transactions private makes you a much harder target.
You've won money from Venmo
Another common one arrives by text or email: you've won a prize from Venmo, click the link to claim it. The link leads to a page that looks like Venmo's login. Venmo's rule is simple: never enter your Venmo login anywhere except venmo.com and the Venmo app, and don't share account details on social media except with Venmo's official accounts, @Venmo and @VenmoSupport. If a message about winnings makes you curious, open the app yourself and look. A real payment would be sitting there.
Fake tech support lines
You search for a big company's support number, call a scammer instead, and they ask you to pay for help through Venmo. Venmo points out that tech support is rarely a paid service, and suggests typing the company's website address yourself and using its Contact page rather than a search result.
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If you've been scammed on Venmo
- Contact Venmo in the app: Me, Settings, Get Help, Chat With Us, and ask for an agent.
- If you tagged the payment as a purchase, explain what happened so Venmo can review it under Purchase Protection.
- If you shared a login code, change your password and check your account for new devices.
- Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
My verdict
Use Venmo freely with people you know. With strangers, tag every purchase, never share a code, and check your own balance before you ship anything. A lot of Venmo scams centre on trainers and resale tickets, so my checks on Flight Club and GOAT are worth a look before you buy rare items, and my PCH check covers the you've-won pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Will Venmo ever ask for my verification code?
No. Venmo says an agent will never ask for the code sent to your phone, under any circumstances.
How do I get Purchase Protection on Venmo?
Pay an approved business account, or mark a payment to a personal profile as a purchase. Eligible items are then covered.
Can a Venmo payment be taken back after I receive it?
Yes, if the buyer used a stolen card or bank account and the owner reports it, Venmo says the money can be removed from your account.
Does Venmo hold payments until you ship?
No. Venmo says that claim is fake and isn't a feature it offers.
How do I contact Venmo about a scam?
In the app go to Me, Settings, Get Help, Chat With Us, and ask for an agent.
