Zelle, Venmo and Cash App: How To Use Them Without Getting Scammed
Payment apps like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App are popular because they’re fast. You can pay back a friend, split a dinner bill or send money to a grandchild in seconds. But that speed is also what scammers love. Payments sent through these apps are usually instant, and once the money has gone, it often can’t be taken back. Here’s how to use them safely.
The Golden Rule
Only send money to people you know and trust. These apps work best for things like paying back a friend, sharing a bill with family, or sending a gift. They are not a good way to pay strangers, online sellers, or companies you haven’t dealt with before.
Unlike a credit card, payments through these apps often don’t come with the same protections if something goes wrong. That’s why it matters who you send money to.
Common Payment App Scams
1. The “bank fraud department” call or text.
You get a call, or a text that looks like it’s from your bank, saying there’s suspicious activity on your account. The caller sounds professional, and the number on your screen may even match your bank’s real number, since caller ID can be faked. They tell you that to “protect” your money, you need to send it through Zelle to a “safe account,” or to “yourself.” Your bank will never ask you to move money to keep it safe. The account you send it to belongs to the scammer.
2. The “I sent too much” scam.
Someone sends you money, or shows you a screenshot saying they did, then says it was a mistake and asks you to send it back. The original payment may be fake, or may be reversed later, and you end up out of pocket.
3. The marketplace scam.
A buyer or seller you met online insists on a payment app. A seller offers something at a price that’s too good, and a buyer sends a fake confirmation. Once you’ve paid, the seller disappears.
4. The “pay a fee” scam.
A prize, a job, a loan or a rental needs a deposit or fee first, sent through an app. Real prizes and jobs don’t ask you to pay first.
5. The fake emergency.
A message appears to come from a relative or a friend who “lost their phone” and needs money right now. Call them on the number you already have.
Safe Habits
Double-check who you’re paying. Look carefully at the name, phone number or email before you tap Send. A single wrong digit sends your money to someone else.
Turn on alerts for every payment, so you know right away if something happens.
Lock the app with Face ID, a fingerprint or a PIN.
Use two-step verification on the app and on your bank account.
Keep your bank’s real number handy. If someone says they’re from your bank, hang up and call the number on the back of your card.
Check your balance inside the app, not from a screenshot, text or email. Fake payment confirmations are easy to make.
Don’t click links in messages about a payment. Open the app yourself.
Consider your limits. Many banks and apps let you lower how much can be sent per day.
If You Sent Money to a Scammer
Call your bank right away, using the number on the back of your card, and say you’ve been the victim of fraud. The sooner you call, the better.
Report it to the app (Venmo and Cash App through their in-app help, and Zelle through your bank).
Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Be careful of anyone who offers to get your money back for a fee. It’s often a second scam.
Please don’t blame yourself. These calls are designed to fool careful people.
A Simple Test
Before you send money, ask: Do I know this person, and did I start this payment myself? If the answer is no to either, stop and check with someone you trust.
If you’d like help setting up your payment apps safely, or want to talk through a message that worries you, a Kendera Global session can go through it with you, step by step.
