Send money safely with Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App
Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal make it easy to pay your grandson back for groceries or split a lunch bill. They also make it easy for scammers, because once money is sent, it's usually gone. Think of these apps like handing someone cash.
The one rule
Only send money to people you know and trust in person. Zelle's own rules say not to use it to pay people you don't know, and it offers no purchase protection. If a stranger asks you to pay with an app, that's a warning sign.
Scams that use payment apps
- "Your bank account is at risk." A caller says they're from your bank's fraud department and tells you to "send the money to yourself" or to a "safe account" by Zelle. Your bank will never ask you to move money to protect it.
- A family emergency. A loved one (or someone pretending to be) needs money right now and asks you to keep it quiet.
- A prize or sweepstakes that needs a fee paid by app before you can collect.
- Online marketplace deals. A seller on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist wants payment by app before you see the item. Zelle warns these purchases are high risk.
- "I sent you money by mistake." A stranger asks you to send it back. Don't. Contact the app's support instead; the original payment may be fraudulent.
Use them safely
- Double-check the phone number or email before you send. A one-digit mistake sends money to a stranger.
- Send a small test amount the first time you pay a family member or friend, and ask them to confirm it arrived.
- Lock the app with a PIN, fingerprint, or face, and turn on two-step verification.
- Never share a sign-in code that's texted to you. Real companies won't ask for it.
- If a friend asks for money unexpectedly, call them at the number you already have. Their account may have been hacked.
- For purchases from businesses, a credit card gives you far more protection if something goes wrong.
If you sent money to a scammer
- Contact the app right away, from inside the app. Scammers post fake "customer support" phone numbers online, so don't search the web for one.
- Zelle: call your bank, using the number on the back of your card.
- Cash App: tap your profile picture, then Support.
- Venmo: look for Get Help in the app's settings.
- PayPal: look for Help in the app, or use the Resolution Center at paypal.com.
- Call your bank too, using the number on your card, and explain what happened.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources: FTC: Mobile payment apps, Zelle: Paying someone you don't know.
