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    Payment App Safety

    Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, PayPal — what to watch out for.

    The golden rule

    Once you send money on these apps, it's almost impossible to get back. Only send to people you actually know. If you wouldn't hand them $200 in cash, don't send it on the app.

    Venmo

    Owned by PayPal

    Safety steps

    • Set your account to "Private" — anyone can see your payments by default.
    • Never accept money from strangers — it's often the first step in a scam.
    • Turn on the PIN or Face ID lock in Settings → Security.
    • Enable two-factor authentication.

    Common scams

    • "I sent money by mistake, please send it back" — the original payment will reverse, leaving you out the money you sent.
    • Sellers on Marketplace asking for Venmo "Friends and Family" — this removes buyer protection. Use "Goods and Services" instead.

    If you got scammed

    1. Open the app and report the transaction as fraud right away.
    2. Call your bank — they may be able to reverse it if it just happened.
    3. Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
    4. If a scammer impersonated a bank, also call the bank's real number on the back of your card.
    Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, PayPal Safety Guide | TekSure