Think before you tap: Venmo mistakes that could cost you and simple privacy tricks everyone should know
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Sending money is easier than ever—but that doesn’t mean it’s always safe.
One top athlete learned that the hard way when his account became a magnet for unwanted requests from strangers.
And while you may not be in the spotlight, your Venmo account could still be exposed if you haven’t changed one key setting.
Venmo is quick and convenient—but that social feed? It’s public by default. Unless you’ve changed your settings, anyone can see who you’re paying, when, and even why.
That’s how a popular payment app can turn into a tool for scammers—and how your digital life can end up more public than you planned.
“I was either getting paid by people or people requesting me a bunch of money when I didn’t win,” he said. “It wasn’t a good feeling.”
That athlete eventually deleted his Venmo account after being flooded with bets, payments, and requests from strangers.
You may not have fans tracking your scores—but public Venmo activity leaves the door wide open for digital nosiness.
If you send it before their original transaction is reversed, you’re out of luck.
Others send a friendly-looking request pretending to be someone you know, can be a friend or relative.
The fix? Always verify outside the app.
If you get a request from someone claiming to be family or a friend, call them or text them directly. Never act on an unexpected payment or message inside Venmo without confirming it first. Venmo even warns users: scammers often impersonate people you trust.
Also read: Government officials thought their data was secure until it wasn’t—are you safe?
You can report or block anyone sending unwanted payments or messages. Use the tools—they’re there for a reason.
Also read: Woman reveals shocking reason she refused to return $300 sent by a stranger on Venmo – find out why!
You can also make past transactions private, hiding your full history.
Bonus: If you pay someone with a less strict setting, Venmo automatically uses the most private option between both accounts.
By default, Venmo profiles are public, so unless you change your settings, your transactions can appear on the app’s main feed. That means anyone online might see who you paid, when the payment happened, and the note you included.
Scams don’t just go after celebrities—they target anyone who isn’t paying attention. Venmo’s social features are convenient, but they can also make your activity easy to track.
A few quick changes today could help you avoid stress, fraud, or worse—tomorrow.
Read next: Think twice before returning money on Venmo—how a $500 error could happen to anyone!
Do you have your own Venmo story? Ever gotten a sketchy payment or request? Found a good trick to stay private? Drop it in the comments. You might help someone else dodge a digital disaster.
One top athlete learned that the hard way when his account became a magnet for unwanted requests from strangers.
And while you may not be in the spotlight, your Venmo account could still be exposed if you haven’t changed one key setting.
Venmo is quick and convenient—but that social feed? It’s public by default. Unless you’ve changed your settings, anyone can see who you’re paying, when, and even why.
That’s how a popular payment app can turn into a tool for scammers—and how your digital life can end up more public than you planned.
A golf champ’s privacy wake-up call
He’s not just any player—he’s the top-ranked golfer in the world. But even he wasn’t immune to Venmo’s quirks.“I was either getting paid by people or people requesting me a bunch of money when I didn’t win,” he said. “It wasn’t a good feeling.”
That athlete eventually deleted his Venmo account after being flooded with bets, payments, and requests from strangers.
Never act on an unexpected payment or message inside Venmo without confirming it first. Image Source: Tech Daily / Unsplash
You may not have fans tracking your scores—but public Venmo activity leaves the door wide open for digital nosiness.
How scammers target your Venmo
Some schemes start with a fake “oops” payment. The scammer sends money, then quickly messages you asking for it back.If you send it before their original transaction is reversed, you’re out of luck.
Others send a friendly-looking request pretending to be someone you know, can be a friend or relative.
The fix? Always verify outside the app.
If you get a request from someone claiming to be family or a friend, call them or text them directly. Never act on an unexpected payment or message inside Venmo without confirming it first. Venmo even warns users: scammers often impersonate people you trust.
Also read: Government officials thought their data was secure until it wasn’t—are you safe?
You can report or block anyone sending unwanted payments or messages. Use the tools—they’re there for a reason.
How to make your Venmo account private
Want to stop strangers from seeing who you paid for tacos last week? Change your settings:- Tap the ☰ menu in the Venmo app
- Go to Settings > Privacy
- Select:
- Public: Anyone can see your activity (not ideal)
- Friends Only: Only people you’re connected with on Venmo
- Private: Only you and the recipient
Also read: Woman reveals shocking reason she refused to return $300 sent by a stranger on Venmo – find out why!
You can also make past transactions private, hiding your full history.
Bonus: If you pay someone with a less strict setting, Venmo automatically uses the most private option between both accounts.
By default, Venmo profiles are public, so unless you change your settings, your transactions can appear on the app’s main feed. That means anyone online might see who you paid, when the payment happened, and the note you included.
Scams don’t just go after celebrities—they target anyone who isn’t paying attention. Venmo’s social features are convenient, but they can also make your activity easy to track.
A few quick changes today could help you avoid stress, fraud, or worse—tomorrow.
Read next: Think twice before returning money on Venmo—how a $500 error could happen to anyone!
