Technologies

Your Venmo Privacy Could Be Compromised. How to Protect Your Account

When it comes to your funds, it’s important to be aware of privacy risks for payment apps.

Millions of people use mobile payment apps like PayPal’s Venmo and Square’s Cash App everyday to transfer money directly from their bank accounts to friends, family and merchants. These platforms offer convenience, but they aren’t without security risks, due in part to their combination of finance and social media. Users can also be targets for hackers looking to drain financial accounts.

But don’t worry — there are plenty of ways for you to secure your Venmo and Cash App accounts with a few simple settings changes and privacy best practices. Here’s what to do.

Basic tips for protecting your privacy on Venmo and Cash App

Both payment apps use encryption and fraud detection technology to protect account information. But to better ensure your security, you should take a few extra steps.

Use a randomly generated password

We know — you’re tired of hearing about how you need to use unique, hard-to-guess passwords for every account. But it’s still true, especially when your money’s involved. One easy way to do this is to use a password manager. Our favorites — including LastPass
, 1Password and Bitwarden — offer a free tier of service with all of the basics: password storage, strong and secure password generation and autofill capabilities.

apple-iphone-lock-cybersecurity-0440 — A password manager can help keep your Venmo and Cash App accounts secure.

Angela Lang/CNET

Beware of common scams

Criminals target users of apps like Venmo and PayPal in all kinds of clever ways. There have been reports of hackers posing as Venmo and Cash App support staff, calling or texting users, «helping» them change their passwords and then draining the accounts.

Scammer landlords have asked prospective renters for a deposit before offering apartment tours. Scammer pet owners have used a similar bait-and-switch, offering purebred animals at extremely low prices, asking for advance payment and then disappearing. Cash App’s support page is full of these types of calamities.

«Nobody at Venmo will ever contact you to request a password or verification code to your account,» according to the app’s security support page. The same is true for Cash App.

If you fall victim to a scam on either app, you should contact support@venmo.com or access resources through Cash App’s site.

Don’t use banking apps on public Wi-Fi (or invest in a VPN)

When you log into a financial app on any public Wi-Fi network — at a hotel, airport or coffee shop, for example — it can give malicious actors an opportunity to break into your account. It’s happened on cash-sharing apps before.

If you absolutely need to access your account and can’t use a reliable network, we recommend using a VPN to hide your activity from spying eyes. Here’s how to set up a VPN on your iPhone or Android and our list of the best VPNs of 2022.

Using a VPN while on public Wi-Fi is a good way to protect yourself while using any app related to finance.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Don’t send money to strangers

Avoid sending payments to people you don’t know and trust through Venmo and Cash App. Neither app is currently optimized for buying or selling goods or services, though Venmo is working on a business profiles feature to make retail and commercial sales more secure. If you’re a vendor considering using Cash App, you’re better off creating a business account through Square Payments.

Read more: 6 Best Payment Apps

Make all of your Venmo transactions private

This is an absolute must. When you create a Venmo account, by default all of your transactions are public — which means anyone on the internet can see exactly what you’re sending, and to whom. This public record has been used to figure out everything from who won The Bachelor before a season aired to an alleged political sex trafficking investigation.

Making all of your transactions private by default is extremely easy. Open the Venmo app, and tap the three lines in the upper right corner for the menu. Tap Settings > Privacy, and under Default Privacy Setting, tap Private. Now all of your future payments will only be visible to you and the recipient.

You can also change the privacy settings for past transactions. On the same Privacy page, under more, tap Past Transactions. You’ll see the option to Change to Friends, or Change All to Private.

One benefit of Cash App: All transactions are private by default.

venmo-app — If you don’t make your Venmo transactions private, anyone can see them.

Venmo

Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is a solid way to add another layer of security to your account. When you sign in on a new device, Venmo will send a code to the phone number registered with your account, that you’ll need to enter correctly to access your account.

To enable two-factor authentication on Venmo, open the app and tap the three lines in the upper right corner for the menu. Tap Settings, and under security, tap Remembered Devices. You’ll see the device you’re currently using, and possibly others you’ve used in the past. When you sign on with any of the devices on your list, you won’t need to enter a verification code. To remove any of the devices, swipe left and tap Delete. If you want to enable two-factor authentication on all devices, you can delete them all from this list.

On Cash App, every time you sign into your account on a new device, you’ll be sent a one-time login code. The app recommends adding two-factor authentication to your email account associated with the app for better protection.

Set up a pin or turn on Face ID

Enabling Face ID or a pin adds more security to your account when opening the app or making a transaction.

On Venmo, you can set this up so that every time you open the app, you’ll need to enter either your Face ID (or fingerprint scan depending on device) or your pin. To get started, tap the three lines in the upper right corner for the menu. Tap Settings, and under security, tap Face ID & PIN. Tap the toggle to Enable Face ID & PIN. The app will prompt you to enter a new passcode, and, if you’re on an iPhone, you’ll get a pop up notification asking if you’d like to allow Venmo to use Face ID to unlock your account. Tap OK. If you’re on an Android phone, it may say PIN code & biometric unlock.

On Cash App, you can set up a security lock that requires your Face ID, Touch ID or a pin to transfer funds. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap Privacy & Security, and under Security, toggle on Security Lock. The app will prompt you to enter a pin, and then enter your email address to confirm your selection with a code.

Setting up a pin or biometric login can help secure your accounts.

Brett Pearce/CNET

Turn on payment send notifications

Get alerted to any unauthorized activity on your Venmo or Cash App accounts by turning on notifications.

On Venmo, go to Settings > Notifications. Choose from push, text or email notifications. Under Push notifications, you can toggle on and off notifications for bank transfers, payment received, payment sent and lots more. Turning on at least the payment sent notification is a good way to get an immediate alert of anyone else sending money through your account.

On Cash App, tap your profile icon, and tap Notifications. Tap to turn on push notifications by text or email.

Link a credit card instead of your bank account

Though you can add a checking or savings account to Venmo, it’s more secure to link it to a credit card. Though you’ll be subject to a 3% transaction fee, credit cards typically have much stronger theft and fraud protection than a conventional bank account.

To change your payment method on Venmo, go to Settings > Payment methods, and tap Add bank or card. Then tap Card, and enter your credit card information.

On Cash App, you need to enter your bank account information before entering a credit card. However, you can sign up for a free Cash Card debit card so you can use funds people send you through the app on the card.

For more, check out the best checking accounts, best savings accounts and best credit monitoring services.

Technologies

Need Gift Ideas? Google’s Holiday 100 Shopping List Includes Switch 2, Home Movie Projectors

You can shell out hundreds for a new gaming console or spend less on classic games and backpack charms.

The spooky season has just ended, and Google is already turning its attention to holiday shopping. The search giant just released its annual list of 100 top holiday gift ideas based on the hottest trends of 2025.

The Google Holiday 100 list is an annual shopping guide compiled from searches for various products conducted between May and September. Using that data, Google creates a catalog of the year’s top trending gift ideas across various industries, including tech, toys, fashion and wellness. You can view the entire Google Holiday 100 list here.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Nintendo Switch 2

This year’s breakaway technology hit was the Switch 2, Nintendo’s latest family-friendly video games console. Unsurprisingly, it appears on 2025’s Holiday 100 list. The console was released in June and has sold more than 10 million units thus far, with Nintendo hiking up sales expectations even among uncertain economic conditions and tariff pricing.

Google Pixel Watch 4

The Google Pixel Watch 4 is a standout wearable that made the Holiday 100 list. Its inclusion isn’t just Google stuffing its own product into a list. If you’re buying a gift for fitness-focused folks, CNET’s Vanessa Hand Orellana wrote that the latest iteration of Google’s smartwatch «hits a sweet spot between universally appealing design, seamless compatibility with the Android ecosystem, potentially life-saving safety features and robust health and fitness tracking.»

Red-light face masks

Your algorithm may have served you up a boatload of red light therapy content from health and beauty influencers this year. Search volume for red light masks has spiked in the past few months, so the LED masks have been included in the Holiday 100 buying guide this year. Just make sure to purchase one of the best FDA-approved masks.

Movie projectors to backpack charms

If you’re looking for gifts across other categories, Google has some top 2025 searches for big and small. Home theaters are apparently in this year, as searches for movie projectors spiked by a whopping 945%. Searches for backpack charms also hit an all-time high this year, so those are a safe bet for stocking stuffing for any young kids.

Checkers (the actual board game)

Even though many gifts given out at Christmas this year will surely be high-tech gadgets and accessories, the board game of checkers is also on the list. There’s always room for the classics.

As you prepare for the Herculean task of yearly holiday shopping, Google’s Holiday 100 is a good place to start. But if you’re looking to beat the crowd on the best tech deals around, CNET is already collecting pre-Black Friday deals.

Technologies

Look Up Tonight to Spot November’s Supermoon, the Brightest Moon of 2025

Has the moon been looking brighter and bigger to you for the past few days? Here’s why this month’s supermoon is even more super.

It’s already a great month for skygazers, with a trio of meteor showers and the return of the northern hemisphere winter constellations. On Tuesday night, it also features the second of four supermoons in a row. This month’s supermoon will happen on Nov. 4-5, and November’s beaver moon is special because it’ll be the brightest full moon of 2025.

In addition to being a supermoon, November’s full moon is known as the beaver moon. There is some debate as to why it was named this way. Some believe that this was the best time of year in the old days to set beaver traps to get pelts for winter clothing. Others believe that it coincides with the busiest part of the year for beavers, who are now stocking their lodges with supplies for the upcoming winter.

Here’s what time it’ll look its biggest and brightest, and what else you need to know about the November supermoon.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

The brightest supermoon: When’s the best time to see it?

The moon will reach peak illumination at 8:19 a.m. ET on Nov. 5, making the evening of Nov. 4 and the morning of Nov. 5 the best times to view the moon.

Since moon phases shift slowly, the moon will appear almost full for nearly a week. If you are unable to view the full moon on its best night due to weather or other reasons, you can still see a mostly full moon at any point from Nov. 3 to Nov. 8.

For all of those days, the moon will be measurably brighter in the night sky compared to any other full moon in 2025. The reason for this is because of the moon’s elliptical orbit. Since it’s not a perfect circle, the moon’s 27.3-day journey around the Earth brings it closer to us on some days, a phenomenon known as perigee. If there is a full moon during this time, it’s branded as a «perigean full moon,» which you may know better as a supermoon.

Not all supermoons are equal, and November’s will be a little more special than others. According to The Farmer’s Almanac, the beaver moon will be a scant 221,817 miles away from Earth, making it the closest full moon of the year. That means it’ll be the biggest and brightest of the year.

In practice, the differences are fairly minor and likely won’t be visible to the naked eye when compared side by side to other supermoons. A supermoon is only about 7% larger than a regular full moon. According to NASA, the biggest difference is when comparing a supermoon to a micromoon, where a supermoon will be about 14% larger and 30% brighter. So, if you notice that your backyard patio is lit up more than usual, it’s because of the supermoon.

Also due to the moon’s orbit, November will also bring a micro new moon, which means the moon will be as far away from the Earth as it can get — a phenomenon known as apogee. November’s new moon occurs on Nov. 20, but you won’t be able to see it.

Technologies

Stay Informed About Your Flights This Holiday Season With Your iPhone’s Tracker

Your iPhone is hiding a flight tracker. Here’s how it works.

Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away and if you plan on flying during the holiday season, keeping up-to-date on changes to your flights is crucial. Airports can be hectic during any holiday, but with the government shutdown continuing, flights are liable to change or be cancelled more often.

Luckily, it’s never been easier to get up-to-date information about your flight. For starters, your airline probably has an app, and if not, you can check its website. If you’re in a hurry, you can Google the flight number. Or you can just use your iPhone’s built-in flight tracker that’s sneakily tucked away.

That’s right: Your iPhone has a flight tracker that you may have never known about. It’s there for when it’s needed. Below, we’ll show you have to access it in not one, but two places, so you never have to go hunting for your flight info elsewhere again.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

For more on the iPhone, check out everything Apple announced at WWDC 2025.

How to track your flight via iMessage

Before we start, there are a few prerequisites you must meet:

Make sure iMessage is enabled (it doesn’t work with SMS/MMS).
You’ll need your flight number somewhere in your text messages, whether you’ve sent that information to someone (even yourself) or it’s been sent to you.
The flight number must be sent in this format: [Airline] [Flight number], for example, American Airlines 9707.

Launch the native Messages app on your iPhone and open the text message thread that contains your flight information. You’ll know the flight tracker feature works when the text with the flight information appears underlined, which means it’s actionable and you can tap on it.

If your flight is still several months away or it’s already passed, you might see a message that says, «Flight information unavailable.» You might also see another flight that’s not yours because airlines recycle flight numbers.

You can check your flight status from Spotlight Search, too

If getting your flight information from Messages wasn’t easy enough, you can also grab the details right from your iPhone’s home screen by swiping down and adding your flight number into Spotlight Search. Even better, this works with Spotlight Search on your Mac computer, too.

How to access the hidden flight tracker

Although the airline name/flight number format highlighted above is the best way to go, there are other texting options that will lead you to the same result. So let’s say we stick with American Airlines 9707, other options that may bring up the flight tracker include:

AmericanAirlines9707 (no spaces)
AmericanAirlines 9707 (only one space)
AA9707 (airline name is abbreviated and no space)
AA 9707 (abbreviated and space)

I would suggest you keep the airline name spelled out completely and add a space between the two pieces of information — like in the previous section — because for some airlines, these alternative options may not work.

Real-time flight tracking

Once everything is set, tap on the flight information in your text messages. If the feature works correctly, you should see the following two options appear in a quick-action menu:

Preview Flight: View the flight’s details. Tap this to view more information about the flight.
Copy Flight Code: Copy the flight code to your clipboard (in case you want to send your flight details to someone else via text or email).

If you select Preview Flight, at the top of the window, you’ll see the best part of this feature: a real-time flight tracker map. A line will connect the two destinations, and a tiny airplane will move between them, indicating where the flight is at that exact moment.

Underneath the map, you’ll see important flight information: