Fake Police Scams via Venmo
Scammers impersonating police officers demand Venmo payments to resolve fabricated warrants, targeting younger adults who are accustomed to settling payments informally via the app.
Part of: Fake Police Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Fake police scammers targeting younger demographics have incorporated Venmo as a collection channel, aware that this age group is more likely to use the app regularly and less likely to find a Venmo payment request immediately suspicious in the context of an urgent call.
The informality of Venmo is, paradoxically, part of its effectiveness in this scam: the victim's intuitive sense that Venmo is not a formal legal payment channel does not save them because the threat of arrest overwhelms the anomaly.
How this scam works on Venmo
A victim receives a call from someone claiming to be a police officer who has a warrant on file for an unpaid traffic fine or minor misdemeanour. The officer offers to process a digital payment to clear the matter, walking the victim through a Venmo payment to a contact described as a court payment system.
The officer instructs the victim not to write the Venmo note as anything related to police or legal matters — to preserve privacy — further preventing store or app fraud filters from identifying the transaction.
After the payment, the officer calls back claiming a related charge has also been flagged and a second Venmo transfer is needed to fully close the case.
Common red flags
- Police officer requests a Venmo payment to clear a warrant or fine
- You are instructed to write a neutral Venmo note to avoid 'flagging the transaction'
- Venmo recipient is a personal account rather than any court or government system
- Follow-up calls arrive immediately requesting additional Venmo payments
- The officer refuses to provide a case number verifiable through court records
- Call creates extreme urgency but an app-based payment is sufficient to resolve the urgency
How to protect yourself
- Law enforcement does not accept Venmo — any such demand is fraudulent
- Hang up and call the police station directly using an official publicly listed number
- Report the Venmo account used in the scam to Venmo support
- Alert your local police department so they can issue community warnings
- Document the call details including time, number displayed, and what was said
- Share awareness of this format in social groups where younger adults may be targeted
How to report it
- Report the Venmo account to Venmo support
- File with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Report to local police using the non-emergency line as an impersonation crime
Frequently asked questions
Is there any legitimate reason a police officer might contact me by phone about a fine?
In some jurisdictions, officers may call about administrative matters, but they will never demand immediate Venmo payment to avoid arrest. Genuine payment for fines or tickets is always directed to official government payment portals with formal case references — not to personal peer-to-peer app accounts.