---
title: How contact syncing works
source_url: https://moov.money/help/account-privacy/contacts/how-contact-syncing-works/
last_updated: 2026-09-05
---

# How contact syncing works

Paying a phone number is easy to get wrong and a device contact is one of the strongest signals we have for catching scams before they cost you money.

Syncing is on by default, and you can turn it off at any time.

## What gets synced

When syncing is on, Moov Money sends the names and phone numbers from the contacts you've shared with it. We use them to:

- **Match your contacts to Moov accounts**, so you see the right name and photo when you pay or request money.
- **Show you how well you know someone.** A contact can be marked as being in your contacts, or as someone who is also paid by people you know.
- **Warn you when a name doesn't line up.** If the name you saved doesn't match the name on the account, we say so before you send anything.
- **Spot fraud and scams.** Requests and payments between strangers are where almost all scams live, so knowing a real connection exists helps us keep the network safe.

Your contacts are never shown to other people and are never used for advertising.

## Choosing what to share

Two separate controls decide what Moov can see:

1. **Your phone's contact permission.** On your device you can grant full access or pick specific contacts to share. If you pick specific contacts, Moov sees only those, and you can change the list any time in the **Settings** app.
1. **The Sync contacts switch**, under **Account**, then **Privacy & Security**.

Turning the switch off stops Moov Money from sending new contact updates.

## What happens if you turn syncing off

- You can still send money, request money, and get paid.

- You'll get fewer of the safety signals described above, so it's worth being extra careful about who you're paying.

## Good to know

- Syncing runs quietly in the background when you open your contact list. There's nothing to start or wait for.
- Adding someone as a Moov contact yourself, or paying a new person, doesn't require syncing to be on.
- For the full picture of what we collect and why, see [What information Moov Money collects](/help/account-privacy/what-information-moov-money-collects/)