Why You Shouldn't Put Your Venmo or Cash App ID in Your Social Media Profiles

You may be thinking about posting your Venmo handle to Instagram. Or, worse yet, you've been bombarded with Facebook requests from people promising to send you money. All they ask for in exchange is your Cash App ID. Sound familiar?

Chances are high it's a scam. Below, we explain why you shouldn't put your Venmo or Cash App IDs on social media profiles and what you can do to help followers support your work.

Scammers will send your friends fake Venmo requests

"I'm at the grocery store and forgot my money! Please help, I'll pay you back right away."

Oh no! Your friend is in trouble. $10 bucks later, you've fulfilled the request. You're a little poorer, but at least your friend can buy bananas.

Hold on. That's not @suzanne_the_stan. That's @suzanne_the_stan1! Someone has posed as your friend, right down to their profile picture. And now you're $10 poorer. Even worse, Venmo doesn't do refunds -- bummer for you.

There's nothing sacred about Venmo or Cash App handles. Any schmuck can copy and paste your ID, tag a "1" to the end, and create a new account that looks like yours. Combine that with a screenshot copy of your photo, and the scammer has the perfect setup to beg money from your friends and family -- under your name.

What you can do to filter scammers

That grocery text? That was lifted straight from the Venmo website under "Common Scams." It's common enough that the company explicitly warns customers to watch out for them.

Here's what Venmo recommends you do to filter scammers:

• Check usernames to ensure the person is who you think they are.
• Tap their profile to check their transaction history (with you).
• If you still need clarification, contact the person asking you for money.

Kind of a hassle, but it's really only necessary when the request is unexpected. Tweaking privacy settings can keep surprise scams to a minimum.

How to make accounts private

To prevent scammers from copying your handles, keep them private. Adjust privacy settings, only share handles with people you trust, and don't post them to Instagram.

How to make your Venmo app transactions private:

1. Go to the Me tab.
2. Tap the Settings gear in the top right corner.
3. Tap Privacy.
4. Under Default Privacy Setting, select your preferred default privacy setting.

You can still receive donations from supportive followers. You just have to get a little creative with it. Link to platforms that help you manage donations from your socials -- platforms that make it difficult for scammers to impersonate you.

Alternatives to posting Venmo and Cash App IDs

You can set up LinkTree links on your social media profiles to direct followers where to donate. You can send followers to your website or a third-party platform that supports content creators like you. The company works on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, among others.

Buy Me a Coffee is one such platform. Followers can send you donations with a couple of clicks. It's easy; followers don't need to sign up for memberships, though you can offer paid memberships.

Patreon is another platform that supports content creators. It's subscription-based, so followers who sign up pay monthly. Generally, this option is best if you're willing to post exclusive stuff for paid subscribers.

It's cool to give followers a way to support your work. The safest way to do so is not through payment apps, but instead through platforms like Buy Me a Coffee. It keeps you and your friends safe from scammers (and keeps you from demolishing your creator budget).