Popular digital money-transfer service, Venmo, is finding itself at the center of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) investigation. The company that is owned and operated by PayPal Holdings, Inc. received a “Civil Investigative Demand” from CFPB with respect to Venmo’s debt collection processes and unauthorized fund transfers.
Venmo has been the subject of a series of investigative articles by The Wall Street Journal in both 2019 and 2020 with respect to their aggressive debt-collection tactics. It reported that Venmo made threats to users who overdraw their accounts. These threats were also made to users who were the victims of scams. Even during the difficult financial times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has reportedly continued its aggressive collection practices.