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’s 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 money you requested a week back.

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 snag targets 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 got a message saying you won a cash prize for 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 wants you to give them a “fee” to receive the rest of the so-called cash prize.

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

You’re devastated and feel like a fool.

Now you know a few reasons why someone would 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 have 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, stopping and ruminating over this unusual phenomenon for a bit 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’d likely regret later.

2. Contact Loved Ones

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

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

3. Get in Touch With Cash App Support

You’re probably 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 alone and only enlist outside help as a last resort.

But when it comes to something like this, it’s too risky to take matters into your own hands.

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

If they tell you it’s safe to engage 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 name and press it.
• Tap “Block” at the bottom of their profile.

You can also report them:

• Go to your Profile and touch “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 techniques 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 tough 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 to them, they go to Cash App Support and lie about their first payment to you being a mistake.

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

Is it too late?

It depends.

If the transaction’s 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 touch the three dots on the upper-right side.
• Choose “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/cancel unauthorized transactions, though it doesn’t hurt to try.

Concluding Words

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

But 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.