Police are warning people about a new texting scam that attempts to obtain the private information of Venmo users.
In a post on Facebook this week, officers from the Dighton Police Department in Massachusetts urged users to ignore any text messages alleging to originate from the PayPal-owned app.
Users targeted by the scam will receive a text message purportedly from Venmo alerting them that their account is about to be charged. The only way to cancel the charge, the scam alleges, is to log in to your account and decline the withdrawal.
The text includes a link to what appears to be the Venmo website but is actually a phishing page designed to steal your information. Police say the fake website may trick unsuspecting users as it “uses the same colors and fonts as the Venmo app.”
Users are then asked to provide not only their passwords but their credit card numbers and banking details as well.
“Do not use the pages provided by the text to enter into your account,” police added. “Go to your Venmo app or use the internet site.”
Anyone who received such a text and gave up their personal information is urged to contact their bank or credit card lender immediately.
Venmo has also stated that it will never ask its users for personal information over text. Venmo users who receive such texts can report them to the company by emailing spoof@paypal.com.
Venmo currently boasts more than 40 million users and is one of the most popular mobile payment services in the world.
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H/T Fox 5