Introduction
Venmo is a digital payment service providing fast and secure transactions. It's a casual and convenient way to make payments without sharing bank account numbers.
Unfortunately, like other financial services, Venmo is also targeted by scammers. Fraudsters keep devising cunning ways to deceive users. In 2024 alone, 83% of Americans reported being scammed or targeted by fraudsters on payment apps, including Venmo.
This article aims to create awareness about the Venmo email scam. We'll discuss the different kinds of Venmo scam emails to help you recognize them in case you're targeted.
What is the Venmo Email Scam?
Venmo email scams are not new—they have been around for years. Scammers just change their techniques when users stop falling for the old tricks.
Venmo scam emails come in different variations. Scammers may request your email address to send the payment. In another scenario, the scammer may claim they accidentally sent you the money meant for someone else and ask you to return it.
If a Venmo email looks suspicious, trust your gut feeling and don't act hastily.
Common Venmo Email Scams
Random Email Address
Scammers may send you emails pretending to be from Venmo. These emails are designed to look similar to a legitimate Venmo email.
Venmo only sends emails from its official domain, "@venmo.com." If the email address doesn't end in venmo.com, it is a scam email. Don't click on any links in the email or provide your personal information.
If you receive an email that money was debited from your account, check your Venmo account to see if the record exists. The email is likely a scam if you don't find any record of that transaction.
Reward Scam
Venmo users may also be targeted by phishing attempts. Scammers send fake emails telling users they have won a reward from Venmo. First, you must verify that the email has come from the venmo.com domain and not some other email domain.
These emails contain a link to log in to your Venmo account to claim the prize. If the email is a scam, it will redirect to a site made to look like venmo.com. Don't enter your login information on any such site.
If you're uncertain about the scam, go to venmo.com or the app directly and verify if the reward information is there.
Sign-in Attempts
Receiving a Venmo email that someone is trying to log in to your account can be concerning. These emails usually include a link to reset your password.
However, this may be a Venmo phishing email. Firstly, confirm that the email was sent from the official "venmo.com" domain. If not, it's a scam email, and you should forward it to [email protected].
To stay cautious and avoid getting hacked, always sign in to your account directly from the website and never click on any links in the email.
Unexpected Payment Request
In this scam, you receive an email from Venmo that someone has requested money from you. The scammer puts a fake support number in the request note to report the transaction. At first glance, it appears to be a note from Venmo.
If you call the number, the scammer will pose as a support representative and request your personal information. Never call any number in an email before verifying it from the official website.
You may also notice that the To address in the email is random, which confirms that the scammer was the recipient of the original Venmo email and not you. If Venmo sent the email to you, your address would've been mentioned in the To field. The scammer only forwarded the email to you and made it look convincing.
Image: ChuckTheWriter
If you receive a suspicious payment request, ignore the email. You can also check your Venmo account to see if the request is actually there.
Fake Payment Scam
In this scam, the person who owes you money claims they need your email address to Venmo you the payment. Note that Venmo doesn't require an email address to send and receive money. The scammer only requests it so they can email you a fake payment receipt.
They may say they need your email address because they have a business account, but don't fall for the trap.
Request to Return Funds
The way this scam works is that a person will send you money out of the blue. Later, they will request that you return it, claiming they accidentally sent you money intended for someone else. Another variation of this scam is that they send you an extra amount than what they need to pay and request that you send back the excess.
This may or may not be a scam, but it's hard to tell. Regardless of the circumstances, you shouldn't send the money back to them. They may also contact Venmo to reverse the transaction, and if that happens, you will ultimately lose money.
What to Do If You Receive a Venmo Scam Email
You don't need to block all suspicious Venmo emails. You should only block those scam emails that appear to be from Venmo but are sent from random email addresses. Blocking emails from the official @venmo.com domain can prevent you from receiving important security alerts and payment notifications.
Our Gmail add-on, BlockSender, helps block not only email addresses but also complete email domains. Install the Gmail plugin and link your Gmail account if you haven't already. Once everything is set up, open a Venmo scam email. Click the block icon at the top and select Emails from this domain. Blocking the domain will stop all emails coming from any email address with that domain.
Note: Don't block any email address ending in the official @venmo.com domain if you rely on email notifications from Venmo.
Moreover, you can also send a fake bounce-back email to the sender that their email was not delivered to you. This will likely discourage them from emailing you again. You can even send a custom bounce-back message if you upgrade to a Plus or Pro account.
Conclusion
Venmo makes it easy to send and receive money from friends and family. However, scammers exploit the platform for fraudulent activities. From unexpected payment requests to accidental payments, these scams can take many forms. One must remain vigilant and know how to identify such scams to avoid falling victim to them.
BlockSender is an efficient tool for blocking fake Venmo email addresses and ensuring that no emails from those addresses ever reach your inbox again.
