Ah, Venmo. With its fuss-free social payment system, it’s the ultimate way to avoid getting the cold shoulder from your friends for not paying your dues when meeting for lunch, grabbing a drink, taking a cab, or, well… whatever really.
But what happens when Venmo itself freezes you out?
It sounds like a pretty weak excuse, right? “I would pay you, but my Venmo account’s been frozen, sorry.”, meaning it won’t be long before your friends grow suspicious that you’re just mooching off them, so it’s best to get this issue sorted out right away.
The question is… how?
Well, not to worry, as I’m going to walk you through the Venmo account thawing process. Stick with me and I’ll have that social payment system in full working order in no time!
Why Did Venmo Freeze My Account?
Venmo tends to get a little icy with users for the very same reasons as your bank — If your account activity is deemed unusual, they’ll lock said account down in order to protect both you and the company.
They’ll also cut the cord on your account if you violate their user policy somehow, say, by attempting to use Venmo outside the US, or attempting to use Venmo to pay for an item or services offered by a merchant that hasn’t been verified by the company.
You may have a hard time convincing the folks over at Venmo to reactivate your account if you’re guilty of the latter, but if it’s the former giving you trouble, you simply need to contact Venmo and talk the situation through with them to get your account reinstated.
I’ll guide you through this a bit later on, but first, we need to talk about the possibility that your account was frozen due to a failed payment, as this is the number one most common reason why Venmo accounts get shut down.
The Dreaded Failed Payment Freeze Out
Okay, let’s begin by explaining what a “failed payment” is in Venmo’s eyes.
A failed payment in this context means that there either weren’t enough funds in your Venmo-linked bank account to cover the fee you’re trying to pay, or the bank has refused to authorize the payment for some other reason.
Unfortunately, Venmo isn’t able to provide transparency here, as, simply put, it’s not a them problem. So, to figure out why your payment failed, it’s best to consult your bank, but either way, you’ve got a score to settle with Venmo.
Being a decent app, Venmo covers the difference if you don’t quite have enough money in your linked account to foot a bill, but it will then freeze your account until you’re able to make good on your debt.
Not sure how to repay Venmo? Don’t sweat it. I’ve got your back with a step-by-step guide.
How To Clear Venmo Debt And Get Frozen Account Reinstated
Step 1 — Hit up venmo.com/addfunds on your computer, then sign in to your account.
Step 2 — A little popup menu will appear asking you to select the bank account you wish to use to transfer funds to your Venmo account. Select one from the dropdown list or click the large blue tile to add a new bank to your Venmo profile.
Step 3 — You’ll then be asked how much you want to transfer, which obviously should be enough to cover your debt to Venmo.
Step 4 — Submit your transfer request.
Step 5 — Transfers take at least 2 business days to process, so kick back and wait for the money to slide on over to your Venmo account.
Step 6 — Your account should be reinstated as soon as the transfer is complete, and your friends will no longer avoid making plans with you — Hooray!
How To Contact Venmo To Resolve Frozen Account
Now let’s discuss how you should go about making contact with Venmo if it wasn’t a failed payment that triggered your account lockdown.
Contact Venmo Via Email
Step 1 — Head on over to venmo.com/recover, then sign in to your account.
Step 2 — Check your inbox for the message Venmo sent you informing you that your account had been frozen.
Step 3 — Found the message? Excellent, now reply to it, potentially with some valid photo ID to confirm you are who you say you are.
Step 4 — Await instructions from Venmo.
Contact Venmo Via Phone
If you’d rather talk to a member of the Venmo customer care team over the phone, you can catch them via 855-821-4430 between 10 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday, unless, of course, any business days happen to coincide with major holidays.
Contact Venmo Via The Venmo App
Step 1 — Load up the Venmo app on your phone or tablet.
Step 2 — In the upper left-hand corner of the screen, you should see a little menu icon. Give it a tap.
Step 3 — Tap the “Get Help” option at the very bottom of the menu.
Step 4 — Select the middle of the three options: “Contact Us”.
Step 5 — You’ll then be given the following options beneath the subheading “CONNECT WITH A HUMAN”
“Email Us”
“Chat With us”
“Call Us”
Tap the middle option.
Step 6 — A chat window will appear, introducing you to a live operator whose job it is to get to the bottom of your Venmo issue.
Step 7 — Explain your situation and await their instructions.
How Do I Know If My Venmo Payment Failed Because Of Insufficient Funds Or My Bank Suspected Foul Play?
There’s a very simple way to figure out why your Venmo payment failed. Open up your banking app, and check your Venmo-linked account.
If there are funds in your account, then the payment was likely declined by the bank because they suspected foul play, and if there aren’t any funds in your account, then the payment failed due to insufficient funds.
Final Thoughts
It’s never good when your Venmo account gets frozen, but now you have the tools to reinstate it and, by extension, your social life.
More often than not, your account will have been closed due to a failed payment, in which case, you’ll simply pay the money you owe, and voilà; account back in action!
However, it could also be because you’ve accidentally or intentionally violated Venmo’s terms of use, or either Venmo or your bank has tracked some unusual account activity.
To resolve any of these less likely but still common issues, get in contact with Venmo and negotiate the unfreezing of your account.
Hi, I’m Matt Johnson, and I work as a Digital Marketer. I started out as a PR assistant for a publishing company, and I quickly learned how important digital platforms are for marketing in the modern world.
This is why I started EngageDigital.com, to offer you a behind the scenes look at all of the most popular sites, applications and platforms, from Amazon to Snapchat, Venmo accounts, Instagram, NFTs, to Omegle and Tik Tok.
If you are looking for informative guides about using social media platforms, troubleshooting your devices, gaming, online shopping, and more, I hope to provide all of the answers you need here at EngageDigital.com!
