Much like a golf course, Venmo can bring some unexpected twists and turns.
The popular payment app enables anyone on the platform to send requests and payments to Venmo accounts listed as public — a default setting that opened up a can of worms for the world’s top golfer, Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler, 28, who is competing in the U.S. Open this week, said Tuesday that he deleted the app after receiving a string of unwanted financial requests and payments from strangers betting on his performance.
“That’s why I had to get rid of my Venmo because I was either getting paid by people or people requesting me a bunch of money when I didn’t win. It wasn’t a good feeling,” the 16-time PGA Tour winner recently told reporters, according to CBS Sports.
While he occasionally received small payments after winning a game, Scheffler said he more often than not got requests from bettors looking to cash in if he had lost.
“I don’t remember the most that somebody would send me,” he said. “Maybe a couple bucks here or there. That didn’t happen nearly as much as the requests did.”
While ordinary Venmo users may not attract the same attention on the app as Scheffler, they can still benefit from knowing how to protect their privacy on the payment platform.
Read on for tips on how to navigate Venmo safely.
What should I do if I get an unexpected payment or request on Venmo?
With the proliferation on online scams, Venmo encourages its users to play it safe. If you get a payment from a stranger, Venmo says you should not accept the transfer, but instead contact the app’s support team.
Likewise, payment requests from suspicious accounts, or people you don’t know, should also be declined, the company says.
“In some cases, you may receive a payment request from someone who appears to be a friend or relative,” Venmo warns on its website. “This can be a common scam tactic, so we recommend contacting your friend or family member outside of Venmo to confirm the legitimacy of the request before taking any action.”
For those looking for more ways to safeguard their money, a list of common scams and the best way to avoid them can be found on Venmo’s website.
Can everyone see my Venmo payment history?
Paying your roommate for the electricity bill? Others might be able to see that transaction on Venmo, depending on your account settings.
If your profile is public, which is the default setting on the app, then each of your payment transactions will appear on Venmo’s main feed, making them visible to anyone online. That includes information on who you’re paying, when you paid them and what you’re paying them for — cue the pizza emoji.
To limit the number of people who can see your transactions, you can switch your privacy settings to “Friends only” or “Private.” The “Friends only” setting makes your payment transactions visible to Venmo friends only. The “Private” setting, the most restrictive of the three options, limits payment visibility to the two parties engaged in the transaction.
If you’re paying or requesting money from someone who has different privacy setting than you, Venmo will default to whoever’s setting is more restrictive. For example, if your account is private and you’re making a payment to someone with a public account, the payment will automatically be private, and only visible to you and the recipient.
Mary Cunningham
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at “60 Minutes,” CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
