How to Use Venmo to Pay Friends and Family — Safely

Venmo makes splitting bills and paying friends easy — here's how to set it up and stay safe while using it.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Download Venmo and connect your bank account
2.Send money to someone
3.Set your transactions to private
4.Know the scams that target Venmo users

Download Venmo and connect your bank account

~34s

Download the free Venmo app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Open it and tap "Sign Up." Create an account with your email address and phone number. To send money, you'll need to connect a bank account or debit card: tap the three horizontal lines (menu), tap "Manage Balance," then "Add a bank or card." Add your bank account using your account and routing numbers, or link a debit or credit card.

Quick Tip

Link a bank account or debit card rather than a credit card if possible — Venmo charges a fee (around 3%) when you use a credit card to send money.

Send money to someone

~31s

Tap the blue "Pay or Request" button. Search for the person by their name, username, phone number, or email — make sure you select the correct person before sending. Type the dollar amount. Add a short note explaining what the payment is for (like "Dinner Friday" or "Birthday card"). Choose "Pay" to send money. The money is deducted from your Venmo balance or linked bank account.

Warning

Venmo payments are immediate and difficult to reverse. Always double-check that you have the right person selected before tapping "Pay." Scammers sometimes create accounts with names similar to people you know.

Set your transactions to private

~30s

By default, Venmo shows your payment activity (but not amounts) on a public social feed that anyone can see. To protect your privacy: in the Venmo app, tap the three lines → SettingsPrivacy → change "Default privacy setting" to "Private." Also go back and change past transactions to private: tap "Past transactions" at the top and change the setting.

Quick Tip

The CFPB recommends not leaving large amounts of money sitting in Venmo. Transfer your Venmo balance to your bank account regularly: tap the three lines → Manage BalanceTransfer to Bank.

Know the scams that target Venmo users

~26s

The most common Venmo scam: someone sends you money "accidentally" and asks you to send it back. You send the money back, then the original payment is reversed (it was made with a stolen account) and you've lost your own money. Another scam: someone on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist asks for Venmo payment before you've received the item. Use Venmo only with people you know and trust in real life — not strangers from online listings.

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Venmo is a free app that lets you send money to friends and family using just their phone number or Venmo username. It's popular for splitting restaurant bills, paying a neighbor back, or chipping in for a gift. The key to using Venmo well is understanding both how it works and how to avoid the scams that target Venmo users.

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