Pretend Venmo accounts are stealing donations from actual charities

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Apps like Venmo, Zelle, Money App, and PayPal have modified how we transfer cash. They're quick and handy, however with that ease comes publicity. For those who ship funds to the unsuitable individual, they're possible gone for good. There's typically no actual path to restoration, particularly when the recipient disappears behind a faux username and an unresponsive help system.

This vulnerability turns into much more harmful in moments of disaster. Throughout pure disasters, high-profile social actions, or well being emergencies, persons are moved to present. Scammers know this and exploit the impulse. One such rip-off concerned a faux Venmo account pretending to gather donations for a Minnesota nonprofit after the loss of life of George Floyd. The account regarded reliable, however the funds by no means reached the group.

An analogous rip-off is concentrating on Miles Perret Most cancers Providers, a nonprofit based mostly in Louisiana. Scammers have created a fraudulent Venmo account that carefully mimics the reliable Venmo deal with of the most cancers nonprofit group. They're utilizing this faux account to trick well-meaning donors into sending cash, believing they're supporting the true charity.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/343/192/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/686/384/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/672/378/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1344/756/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/931/523/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1862/1046/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/720/405/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1440/810/1-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-intro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Zelle and Venmo apps (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Pretend Venmo account mimics actual charity: How 1 character can idiot you Miles Perret Most cancers Providers (MPCS) gives help to households going through most cancers diagnoses. They not too long ago found {that a} fraudulent Venmo account is impersonating their official one. Their actual deal with is @milesperretcs . The scammer’s account makes use of @milesperretcs_ , an almost indistinguishable copy.

To the common individual, the distinction is invisible. That's exactly what makes it harmful.

"We reported this account by the app greater than 24 hours in the past," Timothy Rinaldi, government director of MPCS, informed Cyberguy. "There was no follow-up from Venmo. We tried the stay chat possibility, but it surely was abruptly closed with no decision."

As an alternative of serving to, Venmo routed Rinaldi by generic FAQs and authorized disclaimers. Even after he was linked with a stay help agent, the responses had been commonplace scripts. He was informed that the problem had been escalated, however nobody may present a timeline past a imprecise window of three to 5 enterprise days.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/343/192/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/686/384/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/672/378/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1344/756/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/931/523/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1862/1046/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/720/405/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1440/810/2-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Actual and pretend Venmo accounts (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

FBI WARNS OF SCAM TARGETING VICTIMS WITH FAKE HOSPITALS AND POLICE

Charity scams on Venmo: How scammers trick donors utilizing faux accounts Pretend Venmo accounts have been used in recent times to take advantage of donation drives for hurricane reduction, animal shelters, medical funds, and different causes. The formulation is straightforward. Take a identified nonprofit, tweak the username barely, and trip the momentum of goodwill. By the point anybody catches on, the cash is gone and the harm is finished.

The incident involving MPCS will not be an remoted case. In December 2024, Last Victory Animal Rescue, a nonprofit based mostly in South Carolina, discovered a Venmo account impersonating the group and accumulating donations supposed for the true charity. The group’s basic supervisor, Michael Sniezek, confirmed the account had been receiving funds from unsuspecting donors earlier than the problem was flagged.

In one other case, Alone No Extra Canine Rescue, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, posted on Facebook that fraudulent Venmo accounts had been concentrating on its previous donors, sending them fee requests and soliciting further funds beneath false pretenses.

MPCS has filed a report with the Federal Commerce Fee, however there isn't any assure of fast decision. The fraudulent account stays lively as of press time. It's unclear how a lot has already been misplaced or whether or not Venmo will get better and return any of it.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/343/192/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/686/384/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/672/378/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1344/756/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/931/523/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1862/1046/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/720/405/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1440/810/3-heartless-scammers-use-venmo-to-steal-donations-from-cancer-nonprofit-supporters-outro.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> A hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING WRONG WHEN SCAMMERS CALL

The right way to keep away from Venmo scams: 11 knowledgeable tricks to defend your cash Scammers aren’t simply concentrating on charities. They’re after anybody and everybody. Listed here are a number of methods to guard your self and hold your hard-earned cash secure.

1) All the time entry the fee app from the official app or web site, and never from any third-party platforms or providers.

2) Take a look at the safety settings that the fee app presents and ensure they’re all set to the best and most protecting settings.

3) Think about using a private knowledge removing service to guard your privateness and scale back your threat of scams. Scammers who goal fee apps like Venmo, Zelle, Money App, and PayPal typically depend on info discovered on knowledge dealer and people-search websites to craft convincing impersonations or phishing makes an attempt. These websites can listing your title, deal with, telephone quantity, and even connections to organizations you help, making it simpler for fraudsters to trick you or others into sending cash to faux accounts.

Private knowledge removing providers work by routinely eradicating your info from a whole lot of knowledge dealer websites, making it a lot tougher for scammers to search out and misuse your particulars. By scrubbing your knowledge from these sources, you decrease your threat of being focused in fee app scams and scale back the probability that somebody may impersonate you or a nonprofit you care about. Check out my top picks for data removal services here .

Get a free scan to search out out in case your private info is already out on the internet

4) Create a robust, distinctive and complicated password for every of your cellular fee apps and alter it typically. Think about using a password supervisor to generate and retailer complicated passwords. Get extra particulars about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here .

5) Allow two-factor authentication , which implies that you have to enter a code or use your fingerprint or face to unlock your account to forestall unauthorized entry. This manner, even when somebody is aware of your password, they will’t log in with out your system or affirmation.

6) Lock your system and sign off of your apps. You need to all the time lock your telephone with a password, PIN, sample, fingerprint, or face. By no means share your password, PIN, or safety code with anybody. You also needs to sign off of your cellular fee apps after every use and switch off the auto-login function. This manner, even when somebody takes or borrows your system, they will’t entry your cellular fee apps with out your approval.

7) Confirm the identification and legitimacy of the sender or receiver. You need to all the time verify the title, photograph, username, and phone info of the individual or group you're sending cash to or receiving cash from earlier than accepting or sending any fee requests. You also needs to verify the rationale and quantity of the transaction earlier than you conform to it. In case you are undecided or have any doubts, it is best to contact the individual or group straight by one other manner, akin to a telephone name, textual content message, or electronic mail, however provided that you recognize for positive that these types of communication are reliable. You need to by no means ship cash or give your account particulars to anybody you don’t know or belief, or anybody who asks you to take action out of the blue.

8) Hyperlink your Venmo to a bank card versus a debit card, so you possibly can dispute a cost from scammers extra simply. Nevertheless, have in mind, linking a bank card to your fee app can present further safety within the occasion of fraud, however this may include additional prices by way of transaction charges.

9) Attempt to not hold a steadiness in your money-transferring apps. You've got a significantly better probability of being helped by your financial institution or bank card firm relating to fraud than you do from a money-transferring app.

10) Use sturdy antivirus software program and by no means click on on hyperlinks from unknown sources, particularly when an electronic mail or textual content seems to have come from the fee App. Defend your self from unintentionally clicking on malicious hyperlinks by operating antivirus software program in your system.

One of the simplest ways to safeguard your self from malicious hyperlinks that set up malware, probably accessing your non-public info, is to have antivirus software program put in on all of your units. This safety may also warn you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, retaining your private info and digital belongings secure. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices .

11) Monitor your account exercise and report any suspicious or unauthorized transactions. You need to arrange notifications out of your fee app and your financial institution through textual content or electronic mail, and verify your account exercise recurrently. Search for any indicators of fraud, akin to funds you didn’t make or obtain, or modifications to your account settings or info.

Kurt’s key takeaway In contrast to conventional banks, that are certain by federal shopper safety legal guidelines and fraud decision timelines, peer-to-peer fee apps function in a a lot looser regulatory surroundings. Providers like Venmo typically state of their consumer agreements that they don't seem to be answerable for mistaken or unauthorized funds except there's clear proof of account compromise or technical malfunction. Venmo’s solely suggestion right here was to answer a help ticket and wait. There was no emergency fraud hotline, no devoted contact for nonprofits, and no indication that pressing motion could be taken. Fee apps that permit donations to circulation as rapidly as a textual content message should additionally bear the accountability of retaining these transactions secure. When a nonprofit has to beg for help simply to guard its personal identification, one thing is damaged.

Ought to fee platforms be held answerable for losses brought on by impersonation scams? Tell us by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For extra of my tech suggestions and safety alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report E-newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter .

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Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of expertise, gear and devices that make life higher together with his contributions for Fox Information & FOX Enterprise starting mornings on "FOX & Mates." Acquired a tech query? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy E-newsletter, share your voice, a narrative thought or remark at CyberGuy.com.