Alert to Venmo Users and the Cryptocurrency Community: A recent scam involving unauthorized Venmo transactions to a company named Paxful has come to light. This incident involved a sudden, unauthorized charge of $99.99 to a Paxful account, a company claiming to operate as a Bitcoin wallet service. The incident occurred on November 22, 2023, and was swiftly reported to Venmo customer service for resolution.

Scam Details:

• Incident Description: The victim received a text notification from Venmo for a $99.99 payment made to Paxful, a company the victim had no prior knowledge of or dealings with. It appears that the victim’s Venmo account was compromised to facilitate this unauthorized transaction.
• Scammer Information: While specific details about the scammer’s location are unknown, the contact email provided was sales@paxful.com, and a phone number associated with the scam is (201) 555-0123. It’s worth noting that the email domain points to a legitimate Bitcoin wallet company, but the phone number seems generic and likely fabricated.
• Scam Type: Cryptocurrency scam involving unauthorized transactions through compromised Venmo accounts.
• Targeted Person’s Location: NV, USA (89410)
• Date Reported: November 27, 2023

For OSINT Investigations:

• Email and Phone Number: The provided email (sales@paxful.com) and phone number ((201) 555-0123) can serve as starting points for OSINT investigations. However, caution is advised as the phone number appears to be generic and might not yield relevant information.
• Social Media and Online Forums: Investigating mentions of similar scams on social media platforms and online forums can provide additional insights into the scammer’s tactics and potentially reveal other victims.
• Blockchain Analysis: If cryptocurrency transactions are involved, blockchain analysis of transactions linked to the scammer’s wallet addresses (if available) could uncover patterns or connections to other scams.

If you or someone you know has been affected by this scam or a similar fraudulent scheme involving unauthorized Venmo transactions and cryptocurrency, we urge you to share your story. Your experiences can help in:

• Raising Awareness: Sharing your experience can alert others to this scam, helping to prevent further victims.
• Gathering Information: Compiling reports from multiple victims can provide valuable information that might aid in identifying and stopping the scammers.
• Supporting Investigations: Your information could be crucial for ongoing investigations by financial institutions, cybersecurity experts, and law enforcement agencies.

Reminder: Always secure your online financial accounts with strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. Report any unauthorized transactions to your service provider immediately to seek resolution and prevent further unauthorized activity.

Together, we can work towards a safer online financial and cryptocurrency environment.