Federal Trade Commission data shows people in their 30s and younger are especially likely to report losing money through payment apps. That’s one reason scammers often pressure victims into sending money themselves rather than trying to steal it directly. How to protect yourselfYour best defense is to treat payment apps like cash. Only send money to people you know and trust, because once you authorize a payment, recovering your money can be difficult. Those are common tactics scammers use to pressure people into sending money before they have time to verify the request.