Want to protect your Cash App account from fraudsters? Continue reading for tips on how to spot Cash App fraud.
Common types of Cash App Fraud include 1. Fake payment notifications 2. Phishing emails 3. Fake giveaways 4. Clearance Fee Scam. 5. Fake Cash App Prize Reward 6. Call from Cash as Tech Support. Asks to send money or Pin. Offering expensive goods cheaply in return for payment.
This guide explores the above scams in more detail. Additionally, you’ll want to stick around to learn what to do if you fall victim to Cash App fraud.
RELATED READ: Can You Get Scammed With Bitcoin on Cash App?
Common Cash App Scams
Below are some of the most common scams fraudsters pull on Cash App:
1. Fake Payment Notifications
With this scam, fraudsters impersonate Cash App, fraudulently claiming that your account has received a payment. Both online sellers and personal account holders have fallen prey to this scam.
Fake Purchases
If you’re an online seller, a scammer may request to pay for your product using Cash App.
During the transaction, they’ll send a fake payment notification that reads something along the lines of “The balance will only show up after the package is sent,” only for you to find that no money has been credited to your account.
Mistaken Payment
In other instances, a scammer may pose as a random stranger claiming (falsely) to have sent you money meant for someone else by accident.
The scammer will then ask that you return the money, preying on your conscience.
Cash Prize
Other scammers may try to dupe you by offering you a considerable sum of money as a prize. Usually, the condition for receiving the prize money is paying a small fee.
With this scam, the fraudsters prey on your greed.
READ: Are Cash App Money Flip Scam Real?
2. Phishing Emails
Once again, fraudsters pose as Cash App when carrying out phishing scams. You’ll receive an email that contains a phishing link, and the email messaging will attempt to convince you to click on it.
Unlike fake payment notification scams, phishing scams are to steal your personal information. Clicking on the link may transport you to a phony survey or log-in page for Cash App. Whatever information you enter into the fields will be recorded by the scammer.
In the former case, the scammers gain information about you, which they can use to commit identity theft or fraud. In the latter case, when you supply your log-in information, the scammer gains access to your account on Cash App.
They can then withdraw your money easily.
3. Fake Giveaway
Cash App frequently holds campaigns for its users, and scammers have taken note. Therefore, you may come across offers purporting to be from Cash App when they aren’t.
Some might ask that you should “direct message” Cash App (the scammer posing as the company) to claim the free money. However, the purpose of these scams is to extract the log-in credentials for your Cash App account.
How to Protect Yourself From Cash App Fraud?
There are some measures that you should take to protect your account from scammers. They include:
- Restrict sending money to only people you know and trust
- Always verify and double-check recipients’ information before sending money to ensure you’re sending it to the right person
- Never send money to people who promise you cash in return in the future
We also recommend you take the following considerations to heart when met with a possible scam:
- If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. Therefore, gifts are a red flag and should be viewed with a skeptical eye
- Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know or trust
- Contact Cash App to verify whether it’s running the offer you’ve received
Additionally, you can put some protective measures in place to make it difficult for scammers to use credentials obtained from you:
Cash Payment Verification
You can enable the security lock option in Cash App so that payments can’t be made from your account without entering your passcode.
Two-Factor Authentication
Additionally, you can enable two-factor authentication on Cash App for the email address linked to your account.
READ: How to Get Money Back on Cash App if Scammed?
I’ve Been Scammed: Now What?
To report a scam you’ve fallen victim to, take the following steps:
- Launch Cash App
- Tap the profile icon (top right corner of the screen)
- Tap “Report a Payment Issue”
- Select the payment and follow the prompts
You can also report scam accounts to Cash App by:
- Tapping the customer avatar to find and view a profile. Alternatively, search for the account using its name, email, phone number, or $Cashtag
- Scrolling down to the bottom of the profile page and tapping “Report” and “Block”
- Select one of the options you’re presented with and follow the next steps
Conclusion
One of the inevitable consequences of using Cash App’s super-convenient peer-to-peer payment service is that sooner or later, you’re going to run into fraudsters. However, protecting your money shouldn’t be a problem if you can spot a scam when you see one.
Fraud is rampant on Cash App, with fake payment notifications, phishing scams, and fake giveaways being the most common scams you’ll come across.
However, you can protect yourself from Cash App fraud by taking measures such as only sending money to people you know and trust and viewing bogus-sounding offers with clear eyes.
