9 common Cash App scams and how to avoid them

Block’s Cash App is a part of daily life for many Americans and Brits, but for that reason it is also a potentially lucrative target for scammers. Whether you’re new to Cash or just worried about being taken advantage of, here’s a guide to some of the most common scams on the service and how you can stay safe.

1. “Free” money

The Cash App team actually runs occasional sweepstakes via its X/Twitter account, but it never requires you to share your PIN or login code. They certainly don’t require you to send your own money, buy anything, or download an additional app. If someone asks you to meet those conditions before awarding a prize, they are trying to scam you.

If you do win money through an X Sweepstakes, the payment will be delivered via the verified Cash App account, marked with a blue checkmark.

2. “Accidental” transfers

This is an unfortunate clever scheme in which a thief with a stolen credit card (or possibly a hacked bank account) uses it to send you money, but then asks for the funds back on the pretense that you were the wrong person. If you comply, what actually happens is that the card/bank company reverses the original charge, but the thief gets to keep the money you wired.

Avoiding this threat is simple – don’t respond to a request for money back unless the person is known and trustworthy to you. Chances are you’ll already know if they sent you money by mistake.

A minority of people have made honest fortunes with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but if someone claims they can guarantee a profit in exchange for a small initial investment, it’s a scam. There are no guarantees with crypto, and a legitimate investment opportunity isn’t going to come through a mobile payment app — or be financed that way if a scammer approaches you via text or social media instead. Most likely they will take your money and run.

You may be targeted with schemes for other investments, such as stocks, but these tend to follow the same template as a crypto scam. When you are willing to invest in something, do your research on the product, and only channel your money through trusted investment platforms. Be prepared for risk – crypto in particular is volatile, so you could be out thousands of dollars (or more) if the market turns south.

4. Offers on luxuries

Since cash is used by legitimate retailers, what scammers sometimes try is to pose as one, but promise a steep discount on goods such as handbags, jewelry or concert tickets. There’s a reason it’s steep — they’ll just take the money and ignore you. You’re not going to get an Hermès Birkin or a seat at a sold-out Taylor Swift show from a business you’ve never heard of before.

Generally, we will only use Cash App to pay at physical locations. There may be genuine online businesses that rely on the app, but most sites worth shopping from are going to accept direct credit or debit card payments.

5. Fake customer service

You may be approached by someone claiming to be a Cash customer service representative. The person will warn about possible fraud, but then ask you to provide both your password and a one-time login code, possibly through a website link. Sharing this information in any form is a mistake because what you are really doing is giving a scammer the means to hijack your account.

Real support staff will never ask for your login details, and you should usually approach them for help rather than the other way around. If there is a link in a message, it should point to a known URL like cash.app if it is secure. When in doubt, don’t tap.

6. Common phishing scams

Phishing is a common tactic in which you are directed to a website that looks authentic but is actually intended to capture personal information, such as your social security number or your bank or cash program login. The customer service scheme above is an example, but other phishing scams can come from people impersonating shops, the government or even people you know. Falling prey is likely to result in theft or extortion.

Fortunately, most phishing scams are easy to spot. They tend to come out of the blue, and the initial message is aimed at getting you to click on a link. That link will also use a URL that points to an app or company, but is not hosted on the same domain as the real deal.

7. “Screenshot” scams

This is actually a variant of a few other scams on this list, the twist is that a scammer will use a screenshot as supposed proof of something like a prize or a pending payment. Whatever the excuse you will be asked for money or gift cards, but of course you should not hand over anything.

We’re breaking this out as a separate category, not just for the twist, but to highlight the point that screenshots are meaningless when it comes to legitimizing transactions. They are relatively easy to edit with applications like Photoshop, so they prove nothing on their own.

8. Romance/catfishing and prostitution scams

Speaking of fake images, scammers willing to play the long con can start flirting with you via messaging apps or social media, and use stolen photos if they want to “prove” they’re a real person. Once they create the illusion of a relationship, they will make a reason for you to send money via Cash, such as to cover rent or a family emergency. They may disappear immediately after, but more insidious scammers may try to trick you even further.

Even intelligent people can fall for catfish, but skepticism is your ally here. It is very unlikely that a romantic interest will send you out of the blue. Before you get emotionally invested in someone, arrange a public meeting or at least a video call and make sure their social media profiles look real. Use a reverse image search tool like TinEye if you suspect someone’s photos have been stolen.

Whether or not prostitution is legal where you live, don’t be taken in by random online solicitations. This could easily be fraud, or just another way to launch phishing or malware attacks. Either way, you’re probably not going to get what you want.

9. Government refund/payment scams

Here, a scammer pretends to be with a government agency (such as a tax agency), and claims that you are owed money, but that they need details from you, such as your driver’s license or Social Security number. Alternatively, they may insist that you pay a fee or outstanding balance before sending money your way. If they’re not trying to steal money, they’re trying to steal your identity.

Let’s make this crystal clear – no government anywhere in the world handles official transactions through Cash App. Aside from the possibility of impersonation, agencies can’t assume you have a smartphone, much less one with Cash installed.

Does Cash App refund money if I’m scammed?

You might be able to, but you’ll have to be patient. Once you’ve reported an incident (see below), Cash Support tries to escalate it to an associated bank or card company. It is up to the latter party to decide whether there is something actionable. If they do, they will try to block or reverse the transaction.

First, stop communicating with the scammer, but capture as many related screenshots as possible. Yes, we pointed out earlier that screenshots aren’t always reliable – but at least you’ll have personal reminders, and a basic form of evidence you can show to Cash Support, a bank/credit company and/or the police (more on that in a minute).

The next step is to report the transaction. Tap your profile icon, then go to Support > Report a payment issue and select the appropriate payment.

Whether you managed to avoid a scam or not, you should also report or block the scammer. Find and select their profile, then scroll down and tap Report or Block.

Depending on the severity of the incident, you may want to file a report with the local police. There may not be much they can do if they don’t have a way to personally identify a suspect, or if the suspect is in a foreign country, but at least you’ll put the scam on their radar and help a history for it. You may be just one of many victims.