My sons have been using Venmo and someone else brought it up today, so I decided to open a Venmo account. If you don't know, Venmo is PayPal for the cool kids, or as someone else put it, PayPal with emojis. But it's supposed to be easier and faster so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Opening the account was quick and easy; just give them my cell number, email address, and name. But then I try to link a bank account, and they ask for my Chase login name and password. Yes, login and password, not routing number, etc. So, I don't think I'm going to give them that, and I open a chat for support.

Me: I just opened a Venmo account. When I try to link a bank account, the only option I see is to give you full access to my online account. It asks for user id and password. Is that the only way to link an account?

Him: Hi, thanks for contacting Venmo! I'm happy to help out. Before we get started, could you confirm the full name, email address, and phone number on file with your account? Additionally can you please confirm the name of the issuer (card company or bank) and the last four digits of the card or bank on file?

Me: Did you read my question?

So I end the chat and start a new one.

Me: I just opened a Venmo account. When I try to link a bank account, the only option I see is to give you full access to my online account. It asks for user id and password. Is that the only way to link an account?

Him: Hey there, thanks for contacting Venmo! I'm Iquo! I'm happy to help out. Before we get started, please confirm the following on file with your Venmo account:
-Last four digits of the card or bank on file
-Name of the issuer (card company or bank)

Me: Read my question please.

CRICKETS

I'm really not that surprised that reading comprehension is becoming a lost art, but really?

It's not a real person - just a computer program programmed to respond a certain way.

Enter "supervisor" or "operator" and see what happens.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
It's not a real person - just a computer program programmed to respond a certain way.

Enter "supervisor" or "operator" and see what happens.

I believe you are correct. I tried again, asking "Can I speak to a supervisor?", and I got basically the same response.

I'm still left with my initial complaint. I can't believe they want my bank login name and password. When I signed up for PayPal years ago, to confirm my banking info they deposited a few cents and I had to confirm the amount.

I don't think I had to do that when I set mine up. Venmo is pretty slick.

However, I'm really looking forward to Apple's new Peer-to-Peer payment functionality coming in the Fall with iOS 11. That is gonna be a game changer.

So give them another bank's name and a number you pulled out of your ass. See what happens then. Maybe then a supervisor will appear.

When/if they ever do, explain what you had to do to get a human and then ask them to "explain why you want to be associated with them again? I forget."

You can manually enter your bank routing number and checking account number. I just did it yesterday. They will deposit and withdraw 2 small transactions and that is how you verify it. It's owned by PayPal. So it's basically PayPal gift payments. I know people who have it setup for everything including paying rent.

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:
You can manually enter your bank routing number and checking account number. I just did it yesterday. They will deposit and withdraw 2 small transactions and that is how you verify it. It's owned by PayPal. So it's basically PayPal gift payments. I know people who have it setup for everything including paying rent.

I recently set up Venmo as described above with no issues.

quote:

It's owned by PayPal.

If "It's owned by PayPal" then are they also anti-gun? Because I don't need two such shitassed companies in my life.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
If you don't know, Venmo is PayPal for the cool kids?

Yeah, and today's cool kids have apparently accepted that privacy and security are 'last century' concerns.

The key thing is realizing that 'cool' and 'smart' are entirely distinct concepts.