How To Unfreeze Venmo Account: Step By Step With Photos

Has Venmo frozen your account after multiple failed payments? Did you accidentally violate the company’s user agreement? Don’t fret. You can easily unfreeze your Venmo account by paying your negative balance or contacting Venmo Support for guidance.

Venmo has more than 75 million users in the US, and the numbers keep growing. Imagine how many transactions take place on the platform daily. Unfortunately, many of these transactions are initiated by scammers. For this reason, the company monitors every payment closely and flags suspicious ones. In most cases, Venmo directly freezes the account. 

So, what should you do if Venmo freezes your account? What changes will it make to your account? Let’s find answers to all these questions, so you can learn how to unfreeze your Venmo account. 

Why Does Venmo Freeze an Account?

Venmo primarily freezes an account when you make multiple transaction attempts, and all of them fail. It alerts the company’s security system, which instantly reviews the action and takes necessary steps. The most common reaction is to freeze the user’s account until the investigation is completed. 

Here are some common reasons Venmo freezes an account:

• Venmo has identified a user agreement violation. You will instantly receive an email from the company, which you must respond to unfreeze your Venmo account.
• You’re making business transactions from your personal account or doing illegal things with your Venmo account. 
• You’re an underage person posing as an 18-year-old.
• Your transaction from Venmo to the bank account failed, requiring you to pay the unpaid balance to Venmo. This mostly happens due to an insufficient bank account balance or when you exceed your ACH transfer limit.

What Happens When Venmo Freezes an Account?

Before learning how to unfreeze your Venmo account, you must be sure that your account has been frozen. Not all failed payments mean Venmo has frozen your account. It could be a server error or an app glitch. Unsure whether Venmo has frozen your account? Here are surefire signs you’re account is locked.

• Venmo will email you about the privacy policy you’ve possibly triggered.
• You will see a pop-up notification when attempting the payment repeatedly.
• You won’t be able to initiate a transaction altogether. 

How To Unfreeze Venmo Account By Adding Funds 

The easiest way to unfreeze your Venmo account is by paying off the exceeding transfer amount in case your account has insufficient funds. You must add enough money to your account to pay off the debt. Once verified, Venmo will automatically unfreeze your account in a few days. 

Follow the below steps to get started: 

Step 1: Log In to Your Venmo Account

First, open the Venmo app on your smartphone and log in to your account with the credentials (email id and password).

Step 2: Tap Manage Balance

Now, tap on your profile icon or the hamburger icon to open a menu. Look for the “Manage Balance” option next to your Venmo Balance. Click on it and choose “Add Money” from the pop-up menu. 

You can also visit this link on your device to reach this page directly. Venmo will allow you to pay your negative balance through a debit card or bank account.

Step 3: Enter the Amount

Now, tap the “0” on the next screen to enter the amount you want to add to your Venmo account. Type an amount equal to or greater than your debt or negative balance and tap next.

Step 4: Transfer the Amount

Choose the bank or debit card you will use to fund your transfer. Finally, choose the green “Add Money” button at the bottom of the screen to pay off the debt and unfreeze the Venmo account. However, the transfer duration will vary depending on your payment method. 

For instance, if you use your debit card, Venmo will instantly add funds to your account. But if you pay via your bank account, you must wait 3 to 5 business days for the money to transfer finally. Venmo will notify you about the estimated duration, but you can track your payment status from Venmo’s Account Recovery Payment feature in your transaction history. 

Here is a step-by-step video for further reference:

How To Unfreeze Venmo Account by Contacting the Support Team

Paying the negative balance typically unfreezes Venmo account in a few days. However, in some cases, you may still not be able to make transactions. If your account is still locked, you can contact Venmo’s Support team. 

Fortunately, Venmo’s customer service team consists of responsive, highly-trained professionals. Just be clear with them and help them assess the factors that resulted in a frozen account. They will then guide you about your course of action. Here is how you can contact Venmo Support from the app:

Step 1: Open the Menu in the App

First, launch the Venmo app and log in to your account if you haven’t already. Then, open the menu by tapping the hamburger icon on the top-left corner of your screen or your profile icon. 

Step 2: Tap “Get Help”

<6. Get Help

Now, look for the “Get Help” option and tap on it. 

Step 3: Choose “Contact Us”

On the next screen, select “Contact Us” to proceed.

Step 4: Select the Contact Method

<8. Select the Contact Method>

Venmo will now display three options for contacting their support: email, chat, and call. You can select any of them to submit your request. If you want to email them, ensure you’re replying to the correct email—Venmo’s official email address—as scammers are active on the platform. You can also respond to their email from your inbox. 

If you prefer a phone call, you can contact 855-812-4430 between 10 AM and 6 PM to connect with a representative. You can also chat with a Venmo official. Alternatively, you can fill out their online contact form.  

Step 5: Enter Your Contact Information

In the form, you must provide your contact information, including your name, email ID, and phone number. Make sure you’re entering the correct information.

Step 6: State your problem

To unfreeze your Venmo account, fill out the form this way:

• Subject: “Unfreeze my Venmo account.”
• How can we help?: “I’m a Venmo customer and need help with my account.”
• Which best describes your issue: “Other.”
• Tell us what’s up: “Venmo froze my account a few days back. How can I unfreeze it?”

Hit the “Submit” button once done. Venmo may take a few days or weeks to process your request and get back to you. In the meantime, you can try resetting your Venmo account password or PIN. You can also enable fingerprint security in the app.

Step 7: Confirm Your Identity

As part of user verification, a Venmo representative will contact you through email. They may ask you to submit your verification documents, such as your photo ID, to ensure that it’s actually you and not any scammer.

Venmo doesn’t ask users for their personal information over emails. Instead, the company sends a separate link to upload the documents on the “help.venmo.com” page. Also, check if you have received the email from “venmo.com” to ensure it’s from the official address. The email will also have Venmo’s logo.

3 Ways To Contact Venmo Support to Unfreeze Your Account

Most of the time, you may not have a negative balance to pay off, yet, Venmo freezes your account. This usually happens when the company’s security system detects your payment attempts to be suspicious and investigates them. So, the best thing to do is to contact Venmo Support. 

Venmo has fairly good and responsive customer service. It only takes some moments for a representative to reply to your query. So, this won’t be as time-consuming as adding a balance to your Venmo account to see if it works. You can contact Venmo support to unfreeze your account in two ways.

Through Your Smartphone

If you have installed the Venmo app on your smartphone, contacting Venmo Support will only take a few taps. Launch the app, tap “Get Help,” and choose the contact mode (email, call, or chat). Contact them from Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM–11:59 PM CT; Saturday to Sunday, 8:00 AM–10:00 PM CT. 

The best time to contact Venmo Support is from 10 AM to 6 PM at 855-812-4430. When you get on the line with a rep, explain your issue, and they will help you to unfreeze your Venmo account. 

On Your Computer

You can also contact Venmo Support on your PC by visiting its official website. Navigate to the “Contact Us” option at the bottom of the screen, then click on it. You will be directed to an online form. Fill in your personal information and wait for a representative to respond.

Wrap Up

Venmo often freezes accounts due to insufficient balance and suspicious activities. However, this action is temporary until the company’s security system finds no evidence against the account. If you can’t make payments from your account, know that your account has been frozen. Venmo will also send you an email notification. 

To unfreeze the Venmo account, you must add sufficient money from your debit or bank account to pay off your negative balance. You can contact Venmo Support through chat, email, or call for help.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©rafapress/Shutterstock.com.