Emoji are not real currency, but scammers use them to hide what they're actually asking you to send
When someone online tells you to send them emoji — especially in a message about money or cryptocurrency — they are using a code word. The emoji themselves have no value. What they want is for you to send real money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or account access, but they are asking in a way that looks innocent if someone else reads the conversation.
If you have already sent money or cryptocurrency in response to emoji requests, or if you have emoji saved in your messages, notes, or wallet apps as reminders of transactions, you should delete them. Deleting the emoji removes the record that you sent anything, which can help protect you if your account is compromised or if you need to report the scam.
Key Takeaways
- Emoji used in money conversations are code words for real currency or cryptocurrency, not actual payment methods.
- Scammers use emoji to make requests look casual or innocent to anyone reading over your shoulder.
- Deleting emoji from messages, notes, and wallet apps removes a record that could be used against you if your account is hacked.
- If someone asked you to send money in exchange for emoji, that was a scam, and you should report it to the platform and your bank.
- Legitimate cryptocurrency wallets and payment apps do not use emoji as transaction records or ask you to send emoji to complete a payment.
Delete emoji from text messages and chat apps
On iPhone, open the conversation where you sent or received the emoji. Press and hold the message that contains the emoji, then tap More (the three dots). Tap the trash icon at the bottom right, then confirm by tapping Delete. This removes the message from your phone, but the other person still has a copy on theirs.
On Android, open the conversation, press and hold the message with the emoji, and tap Delete from the menu that appears. The message disappears from your device only.
For messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger, the process is similar: press and hold the message, then select Delete or Remove. Some apps offer an option to Delete for Everyone, which removes the message from both your phone and the recipient's phone, but only if you act within a short time window (usually 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the app).
If you want to delete an entire conversation, press and hold the conversation thread itself and select Delete Conversation. This removes all messages in that thread from your device.
Remove emoji from notes and reminders apps
If you saved emoji in Apple Notes, Google Keep, or another notes app as a way to track transactions or remember conversations, open the note and delete the emoji or the entire note. On iPhone, swipe left on the note and tap Delete. On Android, tap the three dots and select Delete.
For reminders apps, open the reminder that contains the emoji, tap Edit, delete the emoji text, and save. If the entire reminder was about the emoji transaction, delete the reminder itself.
Clear emoji from cryptocurrency wallets and payment apps
Legitimate cryptocurrency wallets like MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, or hardware wallets do not store emoji as transaction records. However, if you added notes or labels to transactions that include emoji, you should remove them. Open your wallet, find the transaction history, and look for any notes you added to past transactions.
In MetaMask, click on a transaction in your activity history, and if there is a note field, delete any emoji or text you added. In Coinbase, tap a transaction, select Edit Note, and clear the field. Different wallets have different layouts, but most allow you to edit or delete transaction notes.
For payment apps like Venmo or PayPal, open your transaction history, find the payment you want to edit, and look for an option to change the description or memo. Delete any emoji or coded language you used. Be aware that Venmo transactions are public by default, so changing the description helps protect your privacy.
Delete emoji from email and account recovery options
If you used emoji in emails about money or cryptocurrency, delete those emails. In Gmail, open the email, click the trash icon, and it moves to your Trash folder. After 30 days, Gmail automatically deletes emails from Trash. To delete when ready, open Trash, select the email, and click Delete Forever.
Check your account recovery options and security settings. If you added a recovery email or phone number that includes emoji or coded language, update it to remove that information. In most accounts, go to Settings or Security, find Recovery Options or Contact Information, and edit or delete any notes that reference emoji transactions.
Report the scam if money was actually sent
If someone asked you to send money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards in exchange for emoji, that was a scam. The emoji have no value, and you will not receive anything in return. Report the conversation to the platform where it happened: on Facebook, click the three dots on the message and select Report; on Instagram, tap the three dots and choose Report Message; on WhatsApp, press and hold the message and tap Report.
If you sent money through a bank transfer, contact your bank when ready and ask them to reverse the transaction. If you sent cryptocurrency, contact the wallet or exchange where you sent it from and report the address you sent it to as a scam address. If you bought gift cards and sent the codes, contact the gift card company and report the codes as fraudulent.
File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-438-4338. Include the scammer's username, the platform, the date, and the amount you sent. This creates a record that can help law enforcement identify patterns.
Protect yourself from emoji scams in the future
Real payment methods do not use emoji as currency or ask you to send emoji to complete a transaction. If someone online asks you to send emoji in exchange for money, cryptocurrency, or anything else of value, they are scamming you. Legitimate businesses, banks, and cryptocurrency platforms communicate clearly about what they want and what you will receive.
Be cautious of messages that use coded language, emoji, or unusual phrasing to describe money. Scammers use these tactics to avoid detection by automated systems and to make the request seem casual or playful. If you are unsure whether a request is legitimate, ask the person to explain it in plain language, or contact the company directly using a phone number or website you find yourself (not one they provide).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone trace money I sent if I delete the emoji messages?
Deleting the messages from your phone does not erase the transaction itself. Banks and cryptocurrency networks keep their own records of transfers. If you report the scam, investigators can trace the money using the transaction ID, wallet address, or account number — not the emoji. Deleting the messages only removes your local copy.
What if the scammer is still messaging me with emoji?
Block them when ready. On most platforms, press and hold their name or profile and select Block or Block User. This prevents them from sending you new messages. If they contact you from a different account, block that one too. Do not respond or engage, even to tell them to stop.
Is it illegal to use emoji as code for money?
Using emoji as code is not illegal by itself. However, if someone uses emoji to hide the true nature of a transaction — especially to deceive you, avoid detection, or commit fraud — that is illegal. If you were scammed, the scammer broke the law, not you.
Should I delete emoji from my phone entirely?
No. Emoji are a normal part of texting and have many innocent uses. You only need to delete emoji that were used in the context of a scam or fraudulent transaction. Deleting all emoji from your phone is unnecessary and would make texting harder.
What if I sent cryptocurrency to an emoji address?
There is no such thing as an "emoji address." If someone gave you a string of characters or a QR code and called it an "emoji address," that was a regular cryptocurrency wallet address, just with a misleading name. Report that wallet address to your exchange or wallet provider as a scam address. The transaction cannot be reversed, but the report helps prevent others from sending to the same address.