WIRED reported that a Venmo account appearing to belong to Dan Katz, then Treasury chief of staff, showed a 2018 payment note consisting only of an eggplant emoji. The outlet did not conclusively verify that Katz owned the account, and reporting did not establish who received the payment or what the emoji meant.
What did the Treasury official’s Venmo transaction say?
In a March 28, 2025 report, WIRED en Español said an account it associated with Katz displayed a 2018 Venmo transaction note made up solely of an eggplant emoji. The account was among four newly identified Venmo accounts that WIRED said appeared to be associated with officials who had participated in a Signal group chat reported earlier that week. Read WIRED’s report.
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Was the Venmo account actually Dan Katz’s?
That was not conclusively established in the reporting. WIRED described the account as apparently associated with Katz; Futurism’s March 29 summary specifically noted that WIRED could not be certain it was his. It is therefore more accurate to call it an account WIRED believed might be Katz’s than to state that Katz’s ownership was confirmed. Futurism’s summary.
What does the eggplant emoji mean here?
The available reporting does not identify the recipient or explain the note’s meaning. Futurism noted it could have been a joke, but the actual intent cannot be determined from the emoji alone. The story does not establish that the payment involved sex, government funds, or any official activity.
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Why did the Venmo account draw attention?
The incident was part of broader March 2025 reporting on public Venmo information and accounts appearing to be linked to government officials. WIRED’s March 26 coverage described how public friend lists could expose social and professional connections. That is a general privacy concern; it does not show that the 2018 payment note caused a security incident or that anyone exploited the account. WIRED’s March 26 coverage.
What did Venmo say about privacy settings?
In that March 26 article, Venmo spokesperson Erin Mackey said: “We take our customers’ privacy seriously, which is why we let customers choose their privacy settings on Venmo for both their individual payments and friends lists—and we make it incredibly simple for customers to make these private if they choose to do so.” Payment visibility and friends-list visibility are distinct types of exposure, and the statement concerned user-selectable controls at the time of that report.
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WIRED’s May 2021 background coverage also described Venmo’s public feed and visible friend lists, and said users could hide friends lists through settings. That is historical product context, not a guide to the current app: the reviewed reporting does not establish the present-day settings or status of the account involved. WIRED’s 2021 background coverage.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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