Payments service makes your friends list public by default, and many users never bother to change that setting.

Nearly six months after taking its first steps to expand beyond person-to-person payments, Paypal-owned Venmo is now opening up its in-app purchase abilities to all its users. Beginning Wednesday ...

Venmo is an app for sending money electronically to friends, family, or businesses. You can use the app simply for sending and receiving money, or you may also choose to use Venmo's banking features.

Fortunately, the Redford, Michigan, resident had a Venmo account. "I gave them my name to search," Damuth explains. Shoppers then sent money via the payment app for a cashless purchase.