Scottie Scheffler deleted his Venmo account over unwanted activity. Here's what to do if that happens to you.

How to clean up your digital footprint and protect against online scams
Much like a golf course, Venmo can bring some unexpected traps and other hazards.
The popular payment app enables users to send requests and payments to Venmo accounts listed as public — a default setting that opened up a can of worms for the world's top golfer, Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler, 28, who is competing in the U.S. Open this week, said Tuesday that he deleted the app after receiving a string of unwanted financial requests and payments from strangers betting on his performance.
"That's why I had to get rid of my Venmo because I was either getting paid by people or people requesting me a bunch of money when I didn't win. It wasn't a good feeling," the 16-time PGA Tour winner recently told reporters, according to CBS Sports.
While he occasionally received small payments after winning a game, Scheffler said he more typically got requests from gamblers looking to cash in if he had lost.
"I don't remember the most that somebody would send me," he said. "Maybe a couple bucks here or there. That didn't happen nearly as much as the requests did."
Ordinary Venmo users may not attract the same attention on the app as Scheffler, but they can still benefit from knowing how to protect their privacy on the payment platform.
Read on for tips on how to navigate Venmo safely.
What should I do if I get an unexpected payment or request on Venmo?
With the proliferation on online scams, Venmo encourages its users to play it safe. If you get a payment from a stranger, Venmo says you should not accept the transfer, but instead contact the app's support team.
Likewise, payment requests from suspicious accounts, or people you don't know, should also be declined, the company says.
"In some cases, you may receive a payment request from someone who appears to be a friend or relative," Venmo warns on its website. "This can be a common scam tactic, so we recommend contacting your friend or family member outside of Venmo to confirm the legitimacy of the request before taking any action."
For more information on how to safely use Venmo, the company's website outlines common mobile payment scams and how to avoid them.
Can everyone see my Venmo payment history?
Paying your roommate for the electricity bill? Others might be able to see that transaction on Venmo, depending on your account settings.
If your profile is public, which is the default setting on the app, then each of your payment transactions will appear on Venmo's main feed, making them visible to anyone online. That includes information on who you're paying, when you paid them and what you're paying them for — cue the pizza emoji.
To limit the number of people who can see your transactions, you can switch your privacy settings to "Friends only" or "Private." The "Friends only" setting makes your payment transactions visible to Venmo friends only. The "Private" setting, the most restrictive of the three options, limits payment visibility to the two parties engaged in the transaction. Venmo also allows you to retroactively change your transactions to private mode which would hide your entire payment history, according to a company spokesperson.
If you're paying or requesting money from someone who has different privacy setting than you, Venmo will default to whoever's setting is more restrictive.
For example, if your account is private and you're making a payment to someone with a public account, the payment will automatically be private, and only visible to you and the recipient.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Motor 1

9 minutes ago

• Motor 1

The 20 Most American-Made Cars of 2025

With tariffs still a hot talking point and prices expected to increase over the next few months, it could make a big difference where your next car is built. That's why the annual American-Made Index is an important tool to use when shopping for your next ride. The American-Made Index uses five different factors to determine just how "American" each car sold in the US is: Location of final assembly, percentage of US and Canadian parts, countries of origin for all engines, countries of origin for all transmissions, and US manufacturing workforce. This year, the study analyzed more than 400 vehicles and narrowed the final list down to 100 models. At the top of the list are the usual suspects: Tesla, Jeep, and even Honda. American brands like Chevrolet and Ford don't crack the top 10, and only one Chevy makes it in the top 20. You can read the full list at —but here's what the top 20 looks like: 20. Nissan Pathfinder 19. Chevrolet Colorado 18. Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 17. Kia Sportage 16. Acura Integra 15. Honda Accord 14. Acura RDX 13. Jeep Wrangler 12. Honda Pilot 11. Acura MDX 10. Volkswagen ID.4 9. Honda Passport 8. Honda Odyssey 7. Honda Ridgeline 6. Kia EV6 5. Jeep Gladiator 4. Tesla Model X 3. Tesla Model S 2. Tesla Model Y 1. Tesla Model 3 Tesla Tops the Charts Tesla Model 3 Performance As expected, Tesla tops the list with four of its models taking the top four. The Model 3 earns the crown as the most American-made vehicle of 2025 (so far). All of Tesla's vehicles are produced at its Fremont Factory in Fremont, California, with the Gigafactory in Texas also producing Model Ys and Cybertrucks. The Gladiator takes fifth place and is the only Jeep in the top 20, while Kia takes sixth place with the electric EV6. The Kia Sportage also cracks the top 20 in 17th place; both Kia models are produced at the brand's West Point, Georgia, manufacturing facility. Honda has five vehicles in the top 20, with the Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, and Passport all produced at the same manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Alabama. The Honda Accord, meanwhile, is built in Marysville, Ohio. Honda's luxury brand, Acura, also has three vehicles in the top 20: The RDX, MDX, and Integra. The Integra is built alongside the Accord in Marysville, while the RDX and MDX are produced nearby in East Liberty, Ohio. Where Are Chevy & Ford? Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison Photo by: Andrew Link | Motor1 While only one of Detroit's Big Three cracks the top 10 (Jeep), Chevy and Ford are nowhere to be found. Only one Chevy model—the Colorado pickup, at 19th—even cracks the top 20. It's produced at Chevy's Wentzville, Missouri, plant. The Ford F-150 Lightning comes in at 22nd, and the Explorer is 23rd. Meanwhile, the Bronco falls all the way to 47th, while the Mustang is even further still at 56th. Outside of the Colorado, the C8 Corvette is 29th, the Suburban is 38th, the Tahoe is 41st, and the Traverse SUV is 73rd. A few Cadillac and GMC models—like the Yukon at 39th and the CT5 at 44th—do at least crack the top 50. The Least-American Made Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Photo by: Subaru On the opposite end of the spectrum, a handful of vehicles from American brands fall to the bottom of the list. The Jeep Wagoneer L is the 100th most American-made car of 2025. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is 99th, the Cadillac Lyriq is 98th, the Nissan Rogue is 97th, the Subaru Crosstrek is 96th, and the Genesis GV70 is 95th. Here's what the bottom 10 looks like: 100. Jeep Wagoneer L 99. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 98. Cadillac Lyriq 97. Nissan Rogue 96. Subaru Crosstrek 95. Genesis GV70 94. Honda Civic Hybrid 93. Mercedes-Benz GLE350 92. Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ 91. Mercedes-Benz GLS450 90. Mercedes-Benz GLE450e Some Cars Are More American Than You Think The Honda Ridgeline Is More American Than Your Ford or Chevy Truck Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tundra More American-Made Than F-150, Silverado: Study Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )

Bloomberg

13 minutes ago

• Bloomberg

Fallout From the Fed Decision

Sonali Basak highlights the market-moving news you need to know. Today's guests: Columbia Threadneedle Global Rates Strategist Ed Al-Hussainy, Guggenheim Fixed Income CIO Steven Brown, BNP Paribas Head of US Credit Strategy Meghan Robson, and PIMCO Portfolio Manager of Multi-Sector Credit Sonali Pier. (Source: Bloomberg)

Bloomberg

13 minutes ago

• Bloomberg

Meta Launches $399 Oakley AI Glasses

Bloomberg Intelligence's Mandeep Singh discusses Meta's move to roll out new smart glasses models with Oakley. He joins Caroline Hyde on 'Bloomberg Tech.' (Source: Bloomberg)