Simplicity and affordability have been one of the main factors why Venmo has become prominent among individuals to make and receive payments from each other. Up to 50 million individuals now use Venmo to perform different types of monetary transactions.
Just like other digital transaction platforms, there are some criteria that Venmo has provided that all individuals must meet to be eligible to use the app. One of such is the age regulation.
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How Old Do I Have To Be To Use Venmo?
To be eligible to use a Venmo account, the user must be 18 years or older. You will be unable to create an account or perform any transaction such as payment and receiving of funds if you are below 18.
Apart from being up to 18 years, Venmo also states that all users of the platform are required to be located in the United States, and should have a United States mobile number.
Due to these regulations, minors, and teenagers are ineligible and will be unable to make use of the Venmo platform.
Why Are Minors Not Allowed Use Venmo?
Venmo has made its platform off-limits to minors due to the company’s mode of operation and legal compliance. Venmo like other financial platforms is obligated to abide by strict rules and regulations for smooth operations.
Accepting terms and conditions and opening an account with Venmo produce a legal binding between both parties. Minors however are not legally old enough to perform such an agreement, this is why they are not eligible to use Venmo.
Apart from the legal factor, there are other reasons why Venmno has made its platform off-limits to minors. These reasons include.
- Presence Of Scams
While Venmo has been taking the necessary steps to curtail scams from the platform, it is still very much present on the platform. The chance of getting your money back after sending money to these fraudsters is very slim.
The difficulty of getting a refund on Venmo makes it an ideal platform for scammers to operate. Due to inexperience, it will be difficult for a minor to detect a scam and can easily fall victim to these scammers.
- Poor Financial Decisions
With the world moving toward cashless transactions and the popularity and usage of credit cards increasing every day, it is generally believed that credit cards can influence a bad spending culture.
It can become worse with apps like Venmo where you don’t have to have a credit card to make purchases and perform different transactions. This could have a big effect on most teenagers as they can easily make financial decisions without thinking it through which can eventually result in catastrophic consequences.
Are There Any Venmo Alternatives For Teenagers?
Despite the concrete reasons why Venmo has listed teens and minors as ineligible to use the platform, there are also tangible reasons why minors and teenagers have to make monetary transactions.
Apart from Venmo, teenagers will also not be able to sign up on other financial platforms such as Cash App, PayPal, Apple Cash, Google Pay, and SnapCash. However, there are other platforms where teenagers can successfully perform their monetary transactions. These platforms include.
- Step
The step is one of the best alternatives to Venmo where teenagers can perform their monetary transactions. With Step, you will have access to a secured credit card which allows you to be able to spend money that has been preloaded in the account only.
A secure credit card will also be a good way to start building a good credit record which will be useful as you become an adult. Users that are not up to 18 will have to provide a parent or guardian to sponsor the account. The sponsor will be linked to the account so that they can easily manage the account.
However, even with the presence of a guardian, you will be able to freely use your debit card. To receive money in your step account, the sender must also make use of a step account to send the money.
- Zelle
While it is required to be up to 18 to make use of the Zelle app, there is a certain clause that allows teenagers to be able to make use of this platform. Numerous banks have builtin Zelle integration, these banks are allowed to make the requirement on behalf of Zelle due to this integration.
In this case, a teenager can open an account with banks that allow teenagers from 13 years and above to have an account. Some of the banks where a teenager can have an account include Wells Fargo Clear Acess, Chase HS Checking account, and Capital One Money.
It is possible for a teenager using any of the above mention banks to be able to make transfers on Zelle through the bank.
- Greenlight Card
This is another great alternative to Venmo, Greenlight card is specifically made for kids to help kids save funds while they acquire financial knowledge and help create a responsible spending culture.
The debit card comes with an outstanding feature through which spending can be monitored and more knowledge about money will be acquired through saving, budgeting, investing, and reward.
Can Parents Set Up A Venmo Account For Their Child?
There is no method or strategy to set up a Venmo account for an underage. Venmo has specifically stated that an underage is ineligible to own an account even with the help of a parent or guardian.
Parents can however perform the transaction by sending and receiving the money through their Venmo account on behalf of their kids. You can as well link your kid’s debit card to your Venmo account if your kid has a bank account to carry out transactions.
What Happens If Venmo Detects I Am Under 18?
Once Venmo detected that you are an underage that is ineligible to own a Venmo account, your account will instantly get suspended and if you have funds in the account, you will be unable to access such funds as they will be frozen.
While many minors and teenagers have been able to bypass this regulation to successfully sign up a Venmo account by providing a false age, such action will only last for a while as Venmo will later request for such users’ legal details which might include birthdate or social security number for verification.
For a successful verification procedure, you will have to be honest and provide the necessary information. Producing wrong details will make the account verification unsuccessful. During the verification process, Venmo will have your correct details and if you are underage, you will lose the account as it will be suspended.
MORE ON VENMO:
How To Fix Venmo Lost Connection With Bank
How To Transfer Visa Gift Card To Venmo?
Why Is Venmo Asking For My SSN?
Venmo Fee Calculator – How To Calculate Transaction Fees
How To Add Money To Venmo Without Bank Account
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Conclusion
As an underage, you are not allowed to own a Venmo account due to the platform’s policy and regulations. However, different ideal alternatives can be used to perform monetary transactions among teenagers.
By following this article you will realize that you cannot successfully bypass the Venmo age requirement regulation, at least not for a long time as you might be risking your account being suspended and funds being frozen.
