A Random Person Sent Me Money on Cash App: Here’s What to Do…

I’m not saying that the sudden increase in your Cash App balance is automatically fraudulent.

However, it could be, so you should learn why you got an unexpected payment to ensure nothing funny is going on.

Why Are Random People Sending Me Money on Cash App?

Below are possible reasons why you got a surprise Cash App payment.

1. Your relative or friend sent money.

Maybe they’re paying back the money they borrowed from you.

Or they’re lending you money you requested a week ago.

Whatever the case, perhaps it slipped your mind.

2. Someone gave you money by mistake.

As the old saying goes, “Accidents happen.”

A person probably meant to send their money to a loved one, and it accidentally went to your account.

3. Somebody is trying to scam you (most likely answer!)

Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous people out there who target victims in a scam by sending them money they weren’t expecting.

A popular Cash App scam is the “cash reward” scheme.

Here’s how it works: You receive a message claiming you’ve won a cash prize in a contest, and your Cash App balance contains a partial payment.

You don’t recall entering such a contest, but the deal sounds too great to pass up.

The sender asks you to pay a “fee” to receive the rest of the so-called cash prize.

After you pay the fee, you wait patiently for your reward, but it never arrives.

You’re devastated and feel like a fool.

Now that you know a few reasons why someone might send you money out of the blue, you need to take action to protect yourself.

What to Do When a Random Person Sends You Money on Cash App

Here are steps to take if you receive a Cash App payment you didn’t expect.

1. Pause and Think

As exciting as it is to see extra money in your Cash App balance, pausing and reflecting on this unusual occurrence is the simplest — and most important — thing to do.

(I know if something similar happened to me, I would wonder why a random person sent me money on Cash App.)

When you pause and think about an occurrence that seems too perfect to be real, you’re less likely to give in to your impulses and do something you might regret later.

2. Contact Loved Ones

Reach out to your friend or family member to ensure they were the ones who sent you the Cash App payment.

If they didn’t send you money, that’s a red flag. (It’s also a major tip-off if you know a certain loved one doesn’t even have a Cash App account.)

3. Get in Touch With Cash App Support

You might be thinking, “Why should I contact Cash App Support when I could talk to the person myself?”

I can totally relate because I like to do everything possible to solve an issue on my own and only seek outside help as a last resort.

But when it comes to something like this, it’s too risky to handle it yourself.

Message Cash App Support and provide as much detail as possible about the payment and the sender.

If they advise that it’s safe to engage with the sender — assuming it was an honest mistake — go ahead and return the money.

Note that you should click “Refund Payment,” not send a separate payment to the person.

Cash App Support Contact Options:

• Mail: 1455 Market St., STE 600, San Francisco, CA 94103
• Phone: 800-969-1940, M-F, 9 am to 7 pm Eastern Standard Time
• Chat: Open your Cash App, go to your profile, tap “Support,” then press “Start a Chat”

4. Block/Report the Sender

Alas, it might be the case that the sender had bad intentions in the first place.

If you’re unsure or something just doesn’t feel right, block the sender:

• Go to Cash App and tap the “Activity” icon on the lower right-hand section of the screen.
• Find their Cashtag name and press it.
• Tap “Block” at the bottom of their profile.

You can also report them:

• Go to your Profile and tap “Support.”
• Scroll down and press “Report a Payment Issue.”
• Select the payment and follow the instructions.

What to Do if You Fell For a Cash App Scam

Use these strategies if you happen to fall victim to this or other scams like the Cash App flip scam.

Even with the best precautions in place, you may still fall prey to a scam.

Some scams are ridiculously obvious, like a user claiming to be a princess on the run from an evil uncle and needing money to escape to the U.S.

Others, however, are tougher to decipher.

Take this example…

A person sends you money and then claims they sent it by mistake.

They request that you transfer the money back to them.

Once you return it, they go to Cash App Support and lie, saying their initial payment to you was a mistake.

This gives them another ill-gotten refund, which forces you to (unfairly) pay them twice.

Is it too late?

It depends.

If the transaction is still pending, you have a high chance of getting your money back:

• To dispute the transaction, go to Cash App and tap the “Activity” tab.
• Find the transaction and tap the three dots on the upper-right side.
• Select “Need Help and Cash App Support.”
• Press “Dispute this transaction.”

Some payment receipts can be canceled, so if it has a “Cancel” button, click on it.

Cash App won’t always be able to refund or cancel unauthorized transactions, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

Concluding Words

Cash App is one of the greatest inventions on the Internet.

But, as with practically everything online, some users exploit it for their own malicious gains.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean you’re powerless to do anything about it.

Next time you find an unfamiliar payment and think, “Hmm, it’s odd that a random person sent me money on Cash App,” you can arm yourself with the tools to combat perceived and actual scams.