Venmo Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them in 2025

Venmo has made splitting bills or paying for online deals as easy as tapping a button. Unfortunately, that convenience often comes with risks because, as with everything involving money, scammers are never too far away.

Venmo scams can take many clever forms — and they’re more common than you might think. To help you stay safe, we’ll cover the most common Venmo scams, show you how to spot red flags, and share tips to keep your money and data safe.

What Is a Venmo Scam?

A Venmo scam is any trick designed to steal money or personal information from people through Venmo, a mobile payment app. Common tactics include fake payment notifications, phishing emails created to look like they come from Venmo, and fraudulent transactions on platforms like Craigslist. Scammers often rely on tactics that create a sense of urgency and trust, pushing victims to act quickly without verifying the situation or who they’re really dealing with.

Venmo scams typically exploit the platform’s convenience to trick people into sending them money or sharing sensitive personal data like their login credentials.

The 4 Top Venmo Scams To Watch Out For In 2025

1. Fake Venmo Text Scams

One of the most common Venmo scams uses a trick called smishing, which is a phishing scam via SMS. Scammers send text messages pretending to be from Venmo, claiming your account is about to be charged or has been compromised. The message includes a link, urging you to log in to “fix the issue.” Once you click the link and scammers have your details, they can access your Venmo account to steal funds or make unauthorized transactions.

Venmo smishing usually unfolds as follows:

• • 📩 You receive a text message that looks legitimate, often using Venmo’s name and branding.
  • 🚨 The message creates a sense of urgency, warning you of an unauthorized charge or account issue.
  • 🔗 You’re prompted to click a link and log in to “resolve” the problem.
  • 💰 The link leads to a fake login page, designed to steal your credentials as you enter them.

Let’s explore what you can do if you get a text message that claims to come from Venmo. Double-checking is crucial. Don’t click the link if:

• • The text creates a sense of urgency, pushing you to act quickly.
  • The URL domain seems suspicious or contains typos, such as venmos.com instead of venmo.com.
  • You received the text via an unsolicited DM, email, or random number.
  • The text asks you to resolve account issues by clicking on a link in the SMS instead of heading to the app or website. As a rule, legitimate banking and financial services won’t ever ask you to log into your accounts through a link.

If you’re worried about your account, always log in through the official app or website to check for issues. Venmo smishing scams prey on panic – so it’s important to stay calm and double-check everything before you do anything.

2. Venmo Overpayment Scams

In this scheme, scammers send you an inflated payment on Venmo “by mistake” and ask you to refund the difference. The catch? The original payment is actually fraudulent, and you’re left out of pocket after the refund.

Scammers usually go through the following steps:

• • You receive a Venmo payment for more than the agreed-upon amount.
  • The scammer claims it was a mistake and asks you to refund them the extra money.
  • The original payment turns out to be fake or gets canceled after you’ve already sent money back to the scammer.

To avoid these scams, only do transactions with people you trust. You should also make sure you verify payments before issuing refunds. If something feels suspicious, contact Venmo’s support for clarification. 

3. Fake Product Scams with Venmo Payments

Fake product scams are a growing issue on platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, where scammers pose as sellers and offer items that don’t exist. 

The scam usually starts when you find a product online and agree to purchase it. The seller then requests an upfront payment via Venmo to “secure” the deal, creating a false sense of urgency or exclusivity. Once the payment is made, the seller vanishes without delivering the promised item. Unfortunately, Venmo offers little help for these kinds of fraudulent transactions, leaving you unable to recover your money.

While there’s no foolproof way to avoid these fake product Venmo sams, one option is to only send money to people you trust. It’s best to avoid sending money via Venmo for products or services you haven’t verified in person. As always, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is – so try to avoid rushing into transactions without thoroughly vetting the seller.

4. Payment Reversal Scams on Venmo

In this Venmo scam, a payment appears in your account, and it seems valid at first glance. Believing the transaction is legitimate, you may then deliver the goods or services you promised to the sender. The scammer later reverses or disputes the payment after receiving what they wanted, leaving you without funds and unable to retrieve what you’ve provided.

Unfortunately, this scam highlights the vulnerabilities of using Venmo with strangers. Since Venmo is designed for trusted transactions, it lacks robust protections for disputes with unfamiliar parties. To protect yourself, it’s better to void using Venmo for sales or services unless you’re certain the buyer is authentic. For added security, consider alternative payment methods like cash or escrow services, especially for high-value transactions.

Is Venmo Safe for Craiglist?

No, Venmo isn’t safe for Craigslist transactions. Venmo’s accounts are intended for payments between trusted parties – not sellers or buyers on Craigslist. Using Venmo on informal marketplace platforms like Craigslist poses significant risks, including the overpayment scams, fake product listings, and payment reversal scams mentioned above. 

These types of transactions may even violate Venmo’s Terms of Service. It explicitly states that personal accounts are intended for payments between trusted parties, not for commercial use or transactions with strangers. Along with the threat of scams, using Venmo for Craigslist sales comes with significant risks, like:

• • No buyer or seller protection: Venmo doesn’t offer protections for unauthorized or disputed transactions involving informal sales, meaning you could lose your money without recourse.
  • Irreversible payments: Once you’ve sent money, it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction if something goes wrong.

If you’re selling or buying items on platforms like Craigslist, it’s best to use safer money transfer alternatives. Cash is a simple and reliable option for in-person exchanges, while escrow services and credit card payments provide added security for online or larger transactions. 

Now that you know what threats exist, let’s explore popular tactics among Venmo scammers so you can hopefully spot the red flags and avoid them.

How to Spot Venmo Scams

Scammers often use clever tricks to exploit Venmo’s ease of use, but knowing the warning signs can help you avoid becoming a victim. Here are the key red flags to watch out for when using Venmo:

📧 Emails or messages from unofficial addresses

Scammers may send fake emails or texts that appear to be from Venmo. Official Venmo emails end with @venmo.com. Be wary of emails from strange domains (e.g., venmo-support.org) or with minor misspellings. Venmo will sometimes text you login PINs or notifications about actions on your account – these messages will always come from the same 5-digit number (86753). Messages from other numbers are likely scams.

💸 Unsolicited payments or requests

Random payment requests or money sent to your account without explanation could be part of a scam. Scammers often use tricks like these to lure you into contacting them so they can try to manipulate you.

⚠️ Urgency or pressure to act quickly

Messages or notifications claiming your account will be suspended, charged, or compromised if you don’t act immediately are designed to create panic and prompt quick action without verification.

🔗 Links to “verify” your account

Be cautious of messages asking you to verify your account or update your information via a provided link. These are often phishing attempts designed to steal your login credentials. Legitimate messages from Venmo will usually ask you to open the app or go to its website.

✍️ Misspellings or grammatical errors

Many scam messages contain typos, awkward phrasing, or poor grammar. While not all Venmo scams are obvious, attention to detail can help you spot fakes. These messages also often start with impersonal, generic greetings, such as “Dear user.”

💰 Promises of easy money

Offers for free money, investment opportunities, or giveaways that require you to send money upfront are classic scams (and not just on Venmo). If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed on Venmo

If you’ve fallen victim to a Venmo scam, don’t panic – you can take steps to limit the damage and protect your accounts. Here’s what to do right away:

1. Report the scam to Venmo
   If you suspect unauthorized access or fraudulent transactions on your account, it’s important to contact Venmo immediately.

• • For phishing scams or impersonation attempts, you can forward the details to phishing@venmo.com. Venmo recommends taking a screenshot of text messages, including the number, and sending it as an email attachment. You can do the same with scam calls (just make sure to cover the other numbers in your call logs for privacy).
  • For unauthorized access or if you’re locked out of your account, you can email support@venmo.com or use the help feature within the app.

2. Contact your bank or credit card provider
   If your Venmo account is linked to a credit card or bank account, notify your financial institution as soon as possible. They may be able to reverse any charges or help protect your funds.
3. Change your Venmo login password
   If you’re concerned that your account may have been compromised, it’s crucial to change your password as fast as possible. If you don’t have it set up already, this would be a good time to enable 2-factor authentication too.
4. Inform local authorities
   File a report with your local police department. While it may not always lead to recovery, having an official record of the scam can be useful for future investigations or insurance claims.
5. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
   Digital payment scams fall under the FTC’s jurisdiction. Reporting your case at reportfraud.ftc.gov helps authorities track and address patterns of fraudulent activity.

How to Avoid Venmo Scams

Venmo is a great tool for splitting the dinner bill or paying friends back, but its lack of protection for buyers and sellers can leave you at risk. If you fall victim to a Venmo scam, recovering lost funds can be difficult or even impossible. That’s why it’s crucial to take proactive steps to protect yourself.

Here are our top tips for keeping your funds secure while using Venmo:

• • Use a strong, unique password: Avoid reusing passwords across multiple platforms. Instead, create a unique, strong password for your Venmo account that combines upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to make it harder to crack.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Adding an extra layer of security means scammers can’t access your account even if they get your password. Venmo lets you enable 2FA to get login PINs via SMS or an authentication app.
  • Regularly monitor your account activity: Check your transaction history frequently to spot any unauthorized payments early. If something doesn’t look right, report it to Venmo immediately.
  • Be cautious with unfamiliar contacts: Only use Venmo to exchange money with people you trust. Avoid using it for transactions with strangers or informal sales on platforms like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
  • Verify links and messages: Scammers often use phishing emails or fake texts to trick you into revealing your credentials. Never click on suspicious links or log in through unsolicited messages. Always use the official Venmo app or website.
  • Take precautions to secure your connection on public Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi networks are a favorite hunting ground for malicious hackers. Using CyberGhost VPN to encrypt your connection protects your Venmo transactions and login details from prying eyes – even on unsecured public Wi-Fi.

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