The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Venmo’s exposure was a privacy-settings issue, not evidence that the app was hacked. In a March 27, 2025, follow-up investigation, WIRED reported that four additional accounts apparently associated with Trump administration officials in a Signal chat about Houthi strike plans had public profile-network information and, in some cases, transaction histories. The reporting showed how payment notes, timestamps, and visible connections can reveal relationships and routines—even when they do not reveal classified plans.
What WIRED reported
The Venmo findings were separate from the Signal group-chat leak. The chat, which involved senior Trump administration officials discussing sensitive plans related to strikes against the Houthis, brought the participants to public attention. WIRED then examined Venmo accounts associated with people in the group and reported that some account information was visible because of users’ privacy settings. The payment app did not cause the Signal exposure, and WIRED did not report that Venmo revealed the military plans. WIRED’s March 27, 2025, investigation described four additional accounts that appeared to be associated with participants.
Which officials were named
WIRED said the additional accounts appeared to be associated with Dan Katz, then Treasury chief of staff; Joe Kent, then nominated to lead the National Counterterrorism Center; Mike Needham, counselor and chief of staff to the secretary of state; and Brian McCormack, a senior National Security Council staffer. The story also discussed Morgan Ortagus, a former Fox News personality and deputy to special envoy Steve Witkoff, as having exposed Venmo data. Earlier related reporting had involved JD Vance, Mike Waltz, and Susie Wiles.
These identifications require a qualification: WIRED said the accounts were “almost certainly” associated with the officials after examining connected accounts, including accounts that appeared to belong to spouses. That is investigative attribution, not public confirmation from every account holder. A visible connection also does not establish the nature or significance of a relationship.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Premium Double-layer Shielding Material】 Adopted upgraded double-layer reinforced metal fiber shielding fabric, this faraday blocking pouch delivers powerful multi-spectrum signal isolation with shielding effectiveness over 80dB. It effectively shields WiFi, Bluetooth, RFID, GPS, NFC, mobile phone cellular signal and car key fob signal, greatly reducing the risk of wireless signal interception and tracking
- 【Comprehensive Privacy Protection】 Designed for modern anti-surveillance and anti-hacking needs, the signal blocking pouch cuts off external signal connection instantly. It avoids telecom fraud, data leakage and illegal tracking, and also protects precision measuring instruments from external signal interference to keep accurate working performance for business and outdoor use
- 【Spacious & Portable Size】 Measured at 8.2 inches in length and 4.7 inches in width, this extended-size faraday pouch is wider and longer than ordinary storage bags. It easily fits most smartphones, car key fobs, GPS devices, walkie-talkies and small electronic gadgets. Lightweight, durable and pocketable for daily carrying
- 【Simple Self-test Operation】 You can complete a quick signal test at home in seconds. Just put your phone into the faraday bag and make a call from another device. It cuts off all incoming calls and messages, offering stable and reliable shielding performance for daily use
- 【Versatile for Daily Scenarios】This durable multi-functional shielding pouch features fireproof, waterproof and shockproof performance. It prevents car key relay attacks and location tracking, suitable for commuting, business trips and outdoor activities. Reliable after-sales support ensures your satisfying shopping experience
What information was visible
Depending on the account and its settings, WIRED reported that viewers could see friends or contact lists, transaction histories, notes, timestamps, and links among personal, family, political, and professional contacts. Examples in the reporting included older payments and contributions, reimbursements, and connections to people in the officials’ broader networks. The important exposure was the pattern those details could form, not any single payment note.
The reported activity spanned different periods: some transactions dated to 2018 and 2019, while others were as recent as fall 2024. That describes what WIRED observed at the time; it does not establish that the accounts remained public after publication. WIRED reported that McCormack’s account went private after it contacted the NSC, and that Waltz and Wiles also changed their accounts after the publication’s inquiries.
Rank #2
![XIAODUN Faraday Bags for Phones [5G/Bluetooth/WiFi/GPS] Signal Blocker, Fireproof Waterproof Anti-Scratch | Detachable Wrist Strap, RFID Blocking Anti-Tracking Pouch](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/412rKmGFZcL._SL160_.jpg)
- 【Military-Grade Full-Band Signal Shielding】Experience absolute signal isolation with our military-grade faraday bag! Blocks 5G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS & RFID instantly. Your device becomes untrackable in this faraday pouch, ensuring military-grade privacy for sensitive data, meetings, or travel
- 【Fireproof, Waterproof and Scratch-resistant】Made of high-quality military-grade materials, it is waterproof, flame-retardant (fireproof) and scratch-resistant. It not only protects your phone digitally, but also physically protects your phone from the effects of harsh weather and daily wear and tear.
- 【Secure Theft Prevention & anti-location】Prevent unauthorized access, hacking, location tracking, or remote wiping. Essential for protecting sensitive data, secure meetings, travel safety, digital detox, or exam integrity. Insert your phone and vanish from the grid instantly
- 【Detachable Durable Wrist Strap】- The faraday pouch is equipped with a sturdy and durable detachable wrist strap, which brings ultimate portability and convenience. Carry your Faraday phone bag safely and free your hands during commuting, traveling or outdoor activities
- 【Faraday Bags for Phones】The Faraday bag measures 4.7 inches × 7.5 inches and is designed specifically for mobile phones and car keys.
Why ordinary payment metadata can matter
A payment record can look harmless in isolation. Taken together, counterparties, dates, notes, and recurring interactions can reveal who someone sees, which service providers they use, what groups they associate with, and when certain routines or events may occur. Security experts cited by WIRED warned that this kind of “digital exhaust” can help someone map a target’s network and identify people who might be pressured, surveilled, manipulated, or approached.
That is a potential risk assessment, not evidence that a foreign intelligence service accessed or exploited these accounts. Public Venmo data is not, by itself, proof of a national-security breach, a compromised credential, or wrongdoing by anyone named.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- UPGRADED ROOMY FIT FOR PHONE AND CAR KEY - This horizontal faraday bag is designed with more usable space, so your phone and car key can fit together more comfortably. Compared with tighter narrow pouches, it offers a less cramped fit and a smoother everyday experience.
- MULTI-SIGNAL BLOCKING PROTECTION - Built with 3 layers of shielding fabric, this faraday bag helps block RFID, cellular, WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth signals for better privacy and device isolation. Ideal for reducing tracking risks, limiting wireless access, and helping protect key fobs from relay theft concerns.
- DESIGNED FOR EVERYDAY CARRY - Comes with a practical wrist strap for convenient carrying whether you are at home, commuting, traveling, or parking your vehicle. A simple way to keep your phone and key fob together in one portable pouch.
- DURABLE FIRE-RESISTANT AND WATER-RESISTANT MATERIAL - The outer material is made for everyday durability and added protection. Built to handle regular use while offering an extra layer of confidence in different environments.
- MADE FOR PRIVACY, TRAVEL, AND CAR KEY SECURITY - This faraday pouch combines signal blocking protection with a more practical shape for daily use. Great for privacy-conscious users who want a pouch that is easier to use, easier to carry, and better suited for both phone and car key storage.
How Venmo payment visibility works
Venmo’s current help guidance describes three payment visibility choices. For Public and Friends-only payments, the payment note, sender and recipient names, and timestamp are shared with the relevant audience. The participants can see the amount, note, names, and timestamp in their own transaction feeds even when a payment is not public. Venmo says the more restrictive privacy setting selected by either participant governs the transaction. See Venmo’s explanation of payment privacy settings.
| Setting | Who can see the payment |
|---|---|
| Public | Anyone on the internet may be able to see it. |
| Friends | Venmo friends of the participants can see it. |
| Private | Only the participants can see it in their personal transaction feeds. |
Payment visibility is separate from friends-list visibility. Making payments private does not necessarily hide the account’s social graph. Venmo Groups can also expose group activity to other members regardless of ordinary payment privacy settings, so review group participation as well as individual payments.
Rank #4
![ZapEnergi 2 Pack Military Grade Faraday Bags for Phones | [5G/WiFi/GPS/RFID] Signal Blocker Pouch, Fireproof Waterproof, Anti-Tracking Privacy Shield for Travel, Security & Theft](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41wMtcI4DfL._SL160_.jpg)
- 【3-SECOND SIGNAL BLOCK】Place your phone or key fob inside this faraday bag , fold the closure, and within 3 seconds, all wireless signals are blocked — WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, RFID & cellular. No tracking. No data leaks. No relay theft. Your devices go silent instantly. A true faraday cage for daily peace of mind
- 【DOUBLE PROTECTION】Made from upgraded double-layer reinforced metal fiber fabric, this faraday pouch delivers over 80dB shielding effectiveness. Blocks 5G, GPS, WiFi, RFID, NFC, Bluetooth & key fobs. Keeps your devices safe from hacking, skimming & unauthorized access
- 【MILITARY-GRADE DURABILITY】The outer silicone-coated layer is fire-retardant, waterproof, and scratch-resistant — a true go dark faraday bag for real life. Rain, dust, or daily wear — this phone faraday bag protects your devices from both physical damage and digital threats
- 【LIGHTWEIGHT & PORTABLE】The faraday blocking pouch measures 8.2" x 4.7" — fits most smartphones, key fobs, credit cards, GPS devices, hard drives & walkie-talkies. Your everyday cell phone signal blocker. Comes with a detachable lanyard & keychain for hands-free security during travel, commutes, or hiking
- 【WHAT YOU GET】2 Faraday bags, 2 durable detachable neck lanyards, and 2 keychains — plus a 1-Year Quality Warranty and Lifetime Technical Support. We’re always here to assist with any questions or concerns about your faraday pouches
Close the main privacy gaps
- Make future payments private. In the Venmo app, go to Me → Settings → Privacy, then choose Private as the default payment setting. Check the setting on individual payments too; Venmo allows a sent payment to be changed only to a more private option, not made more public after the fact. Venmo’s guide to changing payment privacy and hiding past payments explains the available controls.
- Hide the friends list separately. Go to Me → Settings → Privacy → Friends List and choose Private. Venmo documents this control in its friends and contacts guidance.
- Hide past transactions. In the app’s Settings → Privacy menu, use the control to hide past payments. Review older transactions individually if a particular note or counterparty is sensitive. Changing a setting cannot undo what another participant or viewer may already have seen, saved, or reported.
- Audit the profile and network. Remove unnecessary profile details and connections you do not want associated with the account. Review group activity and older transactions rather than assuming that a private default makes every past relationship invisible.
Why older accounts deserve a manual review
Venmo says it stopped automatically adding device contacts as friends in 2022. Users now search for another person, send a friend request, and wait for acceptance. That change does not necessarily remove connections created earlier. If you opened your account before 2022, check the existing friends list and its visibility rather than assuming the newer contact behavior reset the old network. Venmo’s contacts guidance describes access to device contacts.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- [ WHY YOU MAY NEED ONE] These faraday bags can effectively protect your car and your privacy. Lanpard signal blocking faraday bags protect your belongings from EMF, RFID, and other hacking signals! Effectively stop your keyless entry fobs or your phone from being remotely accessed. Protect your personal and financial data by preventing RFID scanners & readers from detecting your card's RFID signal.
- [ MULTI-USE ] It’s also can be used for pregnant women's radiation protection, storing ID cards, bank cards, etc. If you don't want to answer the phone, you can put the phone in the bag, then the phone will be disconnected; this bag can also block the Cell Phone GPS Signal to prevent tracking, and protect your privacy.
- [ CONVENIENT & PORTABLE ] Inner two layers of shielding signal blocking materials, outer is made of premium carbon fiber material can be used as a normal case. Waterproof, can block phone calls, SMS, WI-FI, Bluetooth, 5G, RFID, NFC signals, etc. A modern and fashionable design.
- [ 2 PACK CARBON FIBER FARADAY BAGS & CONVENIENCE ] Faraday cage protector size 4.13*8.26 inches/ 10.5x 21cm, easy to carry.This anti-hacking case blocker can hold phones and more vehicle key fobs can protect your car and phones from hackers. Protect your property and privacy. It’s suitable for smartphones up to 6.8". Including 2 large faraday bags in each package. Ps, this anti-theft pouch has a key ring, you can hang on your bag.
- [ LIFETIME WARRANTY ] If there is any problem with lanpard faraday pouch at any time, please contact us for a refund or resend a new set, Great Satisfaction Guarantee Risk-Free Shopping! Please check the model and size before purchasing.
If you find suspicious activity
- Check for unfamiliar payments, requests, profile changes, and messages that appear to come from Venmo.
- Do not share verification codes, passwords, or login details in response to an unsolicited message or call.
- For account-security concerns, contact Venmo in the app at Me → Settings → Get Help → Chat With Us. Venmo’s security guidance explains how to reach support.
- Be alert to impersonation or fraudulent requests that use visible connections to appear familiar. Venmo describes these tactics in its common scam guidance.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
