That Apple Cash payment you got from a stranger is not a mistake, and the sob story they tell begging you to return it is just part of the con. Here's how to protect yourself.
Scammers are sending money over Apple Cash and then asking for it to be refunded. You almost have to give scammers credit for ingenuity. Someone figured out how to profit from sending a stranger an iPhone, and now someone has found a way to manipulate Apple Cash users. As happened to a Reddit user, you get an unexpected payment appearing on your iPhone in the Apple Cash part of Apple Wallet. It doesn't matter if you don't already use Apple Cash, as all that will happen is that you're prompted to set it up. That setup prompt is Apple's and is legitimate, because the payment appears to be too.
If you're not expecting the payment and haven't already set up Apple Cash, save yourself some time by declining it. If you already use Apple Cash, the payment will by default go straight into your account. Very shortly afterwards, you get a message asking you to return it. Many people will just do that. If you hesitate, the message ramps up the pressure: first it was a mistake, then the sender describes children's basketball lessons, then sobbing emojis and a claim it was their last dime. It's all designed to make returning the money feel urgent.
What's really happening is that the money was fraudulent. The issuing bank will eventually reverse the payment, for instance when it's shown to come from a stolen credit card. Instead of returning someone's cash, you will have paid them out of your own money. If this is happening to you, do not engage with the scammer. Open the Wallet app, tap the Apple Cash card, check Latest Transactions, tap the payment, then tap Reject Payment. If you already accepted it, ignore or block the scammer and know the payment will eventually vanish.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing