When you make a payment on Venmo, only you and the receiver on the other side can see the complete details of the transaction.
That's how payments work on Venmo just like with other payment services.
Now, if you want to stay anonymous while making the payment, there's a trick you can use to stay hidden from the receiver's end and I'll show you the steps you need to take to achieve this level of anonymity on Venmo.
Is Venmo Anonymous?
No, Venmo is not anonymous.
From a direct point of view, you can't send money anonymously on Venmo because it isn't a completely untraceable money transfer app.
In fact, here's exactly what Venmo says about anonymous payments:
"No. There's no way to pay someone anonymously on Venmo."
The transaction details aren't just available to you and the receiver, but to Venmo as well. Of course, they keep this for official use in case the need arises.
However, there's a walkaround to send money anonymously on Venmo as shown in the section below.
How To Send Money Anonymously On Venmo
Since Venmo displays your email address to the receiver, sending money anonymously on Venmo isn't directly possible.
In this case, you can use a disposable email address to open your Venmo account.
Venmo will require you to provide a funding source (typically a U.S. bank account) to be able to send and receive money.
Many online banks won't demand much information from you to provide you with a checking account with an instant virtual debit card.
You can even open an online bank account without SSN or ITIN.
In case you find it difficult to get an online bank account, you can always go in for a virtual credit card without a bank account which shouldn't require many details from your side.
Once you've gotten your disposable email and online bank account, you can head straight to Venmo and open an account using the virtual details.
Your online bank account will serve as a funding source for your transactions. In case you don't want to use the bank details directly or can't find your account and routing number, you can link your virtual debit card that came with the bank account to Venmo.
Now, it's time to transfer the funds.
Here's how to send money anonymously on Venmo: it is as simple as sending a normal payment through the Venmo app.
- Tap the Pay/Request button at the bottom of your screen.
- Enter the recipient's phone number, email, or username.
- Tap "Next" at the bottom of your screen.
- Enter an amount and payment note.
- Tap "Pay".
You should also consider creating a username that can't be identified by the receiver when you send them funds.
Can I Receive Money Anonymously On Venmo?
Yes, you can receive money anonymously on Venmo since anyone with your email, phone number or username can send you an anonymous payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide my real name on Venmo?
Yes, you can. Venmo tells users that they “strongly recommend creating a username that's unique to you and easily recognizable” because this “will make it easier for your friends to find you on Venmo”. So using a name that can easily identify you should be okay.
Does Venmo show my name when I send money?
Venmo shows you username whenever you send money to other Venmo users.
Can anyone see private Venmo transactions?
Yes, but the payment amounts are not public. Venmo only disclose the emojis, descriptions and time stamps associated with the transaction.
How do I hide my last name on Venmo?
You can decide what information to be made private in payments. To do that log into Venmo.co, then navigate to Settings → Privacy and select your preferred default privacy setting.
How do you find out who someone is on Venmo?
Use the Venmo "Search People" feature to search people on the platform.
Can you hide Venmo payments?
Yes, you can. To do that, tap on Privacy. Tap on Past Transactions. Tap Change All to Private to hide all of your past transactions from other users. A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm that you'd like to take your transactions private.
How do I keep Venmo transactions private?
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.
Final Thoughts: Send Money Anonymously On Venmo
Sending money anonymously on Venmo isn't directly possible since your name, and email will be disclosed to the receiver when you send them money.
However, you can anonymously send money on Venmo by creating a Venmo account using a disposable email and virtual banking details that can't really identify you.