Send Money Safely: Person-to-Person Payment Tips to Avoid Fraud and Scams

Published on February 26, 2026 | 3 min read | Webster Bank

Person-to-person (P2P) payments like Zelle^®, Venmo^®, Cash App^®, and PayPal^® make it easy to send money within minutes—whether you’re splitting the cost of dinner, paying a babysitter, or reimbursing a friend. But that same speed and convenience can also make these platforms attractive targets for fraudsters and scammers.

The most important rule to remember is simple: only send money to people you trust. Once money is sent through a P2P payment, it’s often gone for good.

Treat P2P Payments Like Cash

P2P payments work much like handing someone cash. When you send money:

• Transactions are typically completed within minutes
• Payments are usually irreversible
• Recovering funds sent to a scammer is very difficult or impossible

Before you hit “send,” take a moment to slow down and confirm the details.

Tips for Sending Money Safely

Follow these best practices to reduce your risk of fraud:

• Send money only to people you personally know and trust
  • P2P payments are intended transactions between friends, family, and trusted contacts—not for buying items from strangers or online sellers.
• Double-check usernames, phone numbers, and email addresses
  • Scammers often create usernames that closely resemble legitimate accounts. One wrong letter or number can send your money to the wrong person.
• Confirm payment requests through a separate channel
  • If someone asks you to send money unexpectedly, verify the request by calling or texting them directly. Don’t rely on the message within the app alone.
• Enable security features
  • Use strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and device security settings to protect your account.
• Be skeptical of urgency
  • Scammers often pressure you to act quickly. A legitimate request can wait a few minutes while you verify it.

Common P2P Payment Scams to Watch For

Knowing how scams work is one of the best defenses.

• Seller scams
  • You send money for concert tickets, rental deposits, or merchandise that never arrives. The seller disappears once payment is made.
• Impersonation scams posing as banks or contacts
  • Fraudsters may claim they accidentally sent you money and ask you to “refund” it—or pretend to be your bank urging you to send money to fix a problem. Banks will never ask you to send money to resolve an issue. Additionally, they will never ask you for logins or One-Time Passcodes (OTPs).
• Fake customer support scams
  • Scammers may pose as P2P app customer service via phone calls, texts, or social media. They may ask for login codes, passwords, or request a payment to “secure” your account. Legitimate companies will not ask for this information.

What to Do If You Think You’ve Been Scammed

If you suspect you’ve been scammed:

• Contact the P2P app immediately through its official website
• Notify your bank
• Change your passwords and review account activity
• Report the scam to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov

Final Reminder

P2P payments are convenient and safe when used as intended—but they are not designed for transactions with strangers. Always pause, verify, and remember: send money only to people you trust.

Staying alert today can help protect your money tomorrow.

Learn more about how to safely use Zelle^® through Webster Bank and about Webster’s commitment to your privacy and security.

Zelle^® and the Zelle^® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC, and are used herein under license.
PayPal^® and Venmo^® are trademarks of PayPal, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries.
Cash App^® is a trademark of Block, Inc.