Venmo Payment On Hold Scam After Facebook Marketplace Sale

After listing furniture for sale on Facebook Marketplace, the seller was contacted by a supposed buyer who asked for their phone number, claiming they would send payment via Zelle or Venmo. Shortly after, the seller received a text message pretending to be from Venmo. The message stated that a $300 payment was being held because the seller’s Venmo account was not verified for business payments, and that an additional $500 needed to be sent by the buyer before the funds could be released—citing fake "KYC" rules. The text included a phone number for so-called Venmo support, pushing the seller to trust the scam.

What’s different in this version

These traits set this message apart from the usual pattern.

Scammer pretends to be a fast, no-hassle buyer and pushes for payment through Venmo or Zelle.
Fake payment hold message claims money can't be released until more funds are sent.
Mentions business accounts and confusing "KYC" verification rules to sound official.
Includes a fake phone number for supposed customer support, but it actually reaches the scammer.
No actual payment ever appears in the Venmo or Zelle app.

How this scam works

1
Step 1: You list an item for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
2
Step 2: A scammer quickly agrees to buy the item and offers to pay using Venmo or Zelle.
3
Step 3: After you provide your payment information, you receive a message claiming your payment is on hold, often due to 'business account limits' or 'new regulations.'
4
Step 4: The message says you need to receive a larger amount or initiate a refund to unlock your money, or asks you to call a phone number for help.
5
Step 5: The scammer tries to get you to send them money or give up personal details.

✓ Do this

Only trust payment notifications you see directly in your Venmo or Zelle app.
Meet local buyers in person and choose cash if possible.
If you get a suspicious payment hold message, ignore it and check your real payment app for activity.
Report any suspicious buyers or messages to the marketplace and payment service.

✗ Avoid this

Don’t trust messages saying you need to receive more money to release your funds.
Don’t send refunds or additional money to buyers or anyone claiming to be customer support.
Don’t call phone numbers or reply to email addresses in messages like these—they go to the scammer.
Don’t share extra personal information beyond what’s required for payment.

Verbatim excerpts from the scam

Exact lines from emails or messages—searchable text so you can compare wording.

1 Excerpt 1

"YOU RECEIVED $300.00 USD VIA Venmo ®️ Account Status: On Hold We encountered an issue while processing the $300.00 USD payment to your account. The transaction is currently on hold because it was sent from a business account, and your Venmo account is not yet verified to receive business payments. ...To resolve this, the same sender must send an additional $500.00 USD..."
2 Excerpt 2

"If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our Support Team at +1 (302) 743-6310. Thank you for using Venmo®️. Venmo Support Team."