Venmo Scams

[BigSkyRambler]

Anyone familiar with or has been a victim of a Venmo scam? How do they work? I started using Venmo after my PayPal account was permanently disabled because some dolt put gun words in transaction. I am having a suspicious exchange with a forum user. Not naming just yet in case they just aren't really well versed in proper payment protocols. TIA.

 

[JQuigley]

Anyone familiar with or has been a victim of a Venmo scam? How do they work? I started using Venmo after my PayPal account was permanently disabled because some dolt put gun words in transaction. I am having a suspicious exchange with a forum user. Not naming just yet in case they just aren't really well versed in proper payment protocols. TIA.

If I remember correctly Venmo wasn’t as forgiving about scams as PayPal was. I know when I got scammed on PayPal they were quick to refund me but that was years ago so I’m not certain anymore. Venmo is more for sending money to friends and family as opposed to business and therefore a little less lenient about it. Heard about more Venmo scams than PayPal

 

[SDSmlf]

Anyone familiar with or has been a victim of a Venmo scam? How do they work? I started using Venmo after my PayPal account was permanently disabled because some dolt put gun words in transaction. I am having a suspicious exchange with a forum user. Not naming just yet in case they just aren't really well versed in proper payment protocols. TIA.

Parted ways with PayPal years ago…. Venmo is convenient, but any scam potential depends on whether you are buying or selling. Two recent deals that the seller would accept Venmo only didn’t go so well. I (actually my wife) offered to pay by Venmo after receiving the items, one seller went silent while the other tried to explain that’s not how it works. We don’t consider Venmo anymore as a payment option.

 

[Frontier's]

No protection on venmo.

 

[TxGR]

I hope the other party fulfills their obligations. The fact we're relegated to early 1990's payment methods because a few arrogant activists decided to police transactions based on their agenda, as opposed to what is legal vs. illegal, is another example of how tyranny comes in many forms, from many directions.

Shippers and couriers make it harder and more expensive to ship anything firearms related. Payment companies outright ban anything firearms related, and some banks started treating gun-related businesses like sex businesses. Meanwhile, all sorts of legal pornography and drug paraphernalia is permitted. That's before we even consider all the criminals using these services and systems because they never obey rules or laws anyway.

I've resorted to using BillPay checks. I somewhat screen sellers by looking at feedback and their time/participation in a forum. At least I have a physical address for them. If I am cheated I can file a police report where they live. I can also file a report with the postal service for mail fraud. It's slow, imperfect, and almost certainly will not result in my money being returned.

Until a true rival payment system (and shipping service) emerge, we just have to endure the diktats of bureaucrats and corporate activists.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Why is this in the For Sale section?

 

[SOLANCO]

My personal check ONLY. Very happy to wait for it to clear before you ship. If that does not suit then you need to find another customer.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

My personal check ONLY. Very happy to wait for it to clear before you ship. If that does not suit then you need to find another customer.

I'm with you on the personal check, or a USPS money order.
Both works well.
Too many scams otherwise.
The thieves are smarter with this computer stuff and can stick me REAL quickly.

 

[SOLANCO]

I'm with you on the personal check, or a USPS money order.
Both works well.
Too many scams otherwise.
The thieves are smarter with this computer stuff and can stick me REAL quickly.

Forget the money orders. You want to deal with the post office or the 7 Eleven if there is a dispute? Not me. My bank is my friend.

 

[JCB]

The first time I heard of Venmo was a few years back when I was selling a revolver on here. A member messaged me and said he was buying the gun and had put money in my Venmo account. I replied and told him I didn’t know what he was talking about or what Venmo was. He then told me I would have to go to the bank and set up an account and the money would be there. I told him I would only take a MO or certified check. He then told me about all the problems including legal that he had with the USPS. Which I found odd that he claimed to have had so many problems with them, but I had never had one. I did sell the gun but not to him. I won’t mention his name, but I’m assuming he’s no longer a member. When I went back and read the old message his name appeared but had a line through it. He also claimed to be from Texas, which in times past seems to be where the scammers claim to be from. It may have been some sort of a scam or not, but regardless it was all very odd to say the least.

 

[TxGR]

Why is this in the For Sale section?

This seems kind of relevant to those buying and selling.

Where else should he place it, forum help? I'd never see it there. In fact, if he ends up being cheated by this as yet unnamed other person, I hope he announces it here where I will see it, so I can avoid that user.

 

[TxGR]

[snip]
He then told me about all the problems including legal that he had with the USPS.
[snip]
seems to be where the scammers claim to be from.
[snip]

The USPS is a scam IMHO, but that's another topic. I see some ads/auctions where they want only USPS money orders. Why? What additional protection does that provide above and beyond a Western Union money order? Or beyond a personal check?

Do they believe the USPS will give them their money back if the money order turns out to be counterfeit? Or that the USPS money order is somehow more difficult to counterfeit? I don't think either is true.

A trip to the post office is at least worth $50 of my time, gas, hassle, and aggravation.

As @SOLANCO points out, wait 2 weeks or 3 weeks, this is best for everyone. This isn't the 1970's, checks clear in 3 days. Certainly within 10 banking days, the funds are settled. This also protects the buyer somewhat as, in many cases there's a paper trail and the buyer knows their bank account from the cancelled check if the seller fails to send the items.

=====

I don't know about on gun forums, but lots of scammers are from overseas. It's big business and they target the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Search "scambait" on YouTube and one will find an entire genre of videos exposing massive scam operations in India. There are also many in West Africa. Ironically, they frequently use FedEx and UPS for transport and intercept packages with gift cards sent to AirBnBs to prevent being traced.

In Canada, housing is so bad under Castreaux, scammers run online ads for legitimately vacant apartments. Then they come up with some excuse as to why they can't meet the future tenant, but if they send them the deposit, they'll send them the key. I was trying to rent an apartment in Winnipeg for 3 months. I contacted one place, exchanged a few emails, then he said he had to return to the Philippines on an emergency. He'd send me the key once I sent the deposit. I happened to be going to Manila the next week. I offered to meet him in Manila. Never heard back from him. Of the over 10 ads I replied to, all of them "had to return home on an emergency" back in West Africa except for the guy in Manila. There's nothing the RCMP can do and the scams work because people are desperate.

 

[ETipp]

I'm with you on the personal check, or a USPS money order.
Both works well.
Too many scams otherwise.
The thieves are smarter with this computer stuff and can stick me REAL quickly.

Mark, I was in line at the local post office a few years ago getting ready to ship a bow I had just sold. The guy in front of me had what looked to be a USPS money order but something didn’t look quite right. I do not recall what it was but it was minor. The post master looked at the money order and said it looked a little suspicious. He tried to look up the information on the money order but was unable. He told the guy that it was a good fake USPS money order.

So beware.

 

[kyron4]

A coworker sold a chainsaw and found out he was paid with a "fake" $100 bill. I say fake and not counterfeit because he was told by the sheriff dept. they are sold online as "props" . At first glance it looks and feels real , but on closer inspection you can see the very small and subtle difference.

 

[BigSkyRambler]

This was after user dropped 3 individual $1 deposits in my Venmo account and then wanted to be "Friends on Venmo." I read him the riot act about what I expected.

To quote the new user 19thCenturyNaploeon:

"Don’t worry, you have nothing to threaten me about. as for the bad report, I can just create another account."

So it is a scam. Admins can review entire message chain, I imagine.

 

[Salty]

Anyone familiar with or has been a victim of a Venmo scam? How do they work? I started using Venmo after my PayPal account was permanently disabled because some dolt put gun words in transaction. I am having a suspicious exchange with a forum user. Not naming just yet in case they just aren't really well versed in proper payment protocols. TIA.

Paying with Venmo is like putting a large amount of cash in a soda machine and hoping something comes out. Good luck is it doesn’t.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

I have a Venmo account and I’m not sure how you’d get scammed on the receiving end? Sometimes it’s hard to know if you have the correct person or not, is that why he sent the $1 payments?
Being “friends” is also to make sure your payments go to the right person.

 

[VA Hawken]

I've used Venmo, but only for payments where I dealt with the individual in person for services, or other items. Like all things, you have to be careful. Personally, I like to use PayPal as it gets the funds to the person I'm working with quickly. Personal check is fine, and I don't mind waiting for it to clear for the seller to get their funds. USPS or other money order, I don't do, as the time and hassle involved isn't worth it for me for most transactions.

As far as purchases (or sales) here on the forum, I'd say all of mine have been with long standing, and paid members, so I've never had a problem.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

Once someone makes a Venmo payment it generally cannot be cancelled, even if you make the payment to the wrong person. So as a sender you need to be careful.
I don’t understand how the buyer was scamming anyone?

 

[BigSkyRambler]

To bb

Once someone makes a Venmo payment it generally cannot be cancelled, even if you make the payment to the wrong person. So as a sender you need to be careful.
I don’t understand how the buyer was scamming anyone?

I verified the initial payment. Then after confirmation, he dropped two more $1 deposits. Buyer has been evasive and initially did not even want to give his name, just a third party address for gun to be shipped for some work. I keep nice, tidy records and buyer would not provide their own address. finally got a name, but I am now leery. My fear is that so many ways exist for people to hack into bank accounts, that the guy was trying to buy time to work on it. That is why I prefer USPS Money Orders or personal checks to clear. If buyer has a long history here, or has done business with me, I don't even wait for checks to clear.