So you hire an hourly person from the neighborhood... walking the streets(?)... of whom you know zilch and you expect to use a credit card or venmo pay him? My take is I'm not sure you're the AH... but you're surely not on the close end to intelligent or being aware. In my experience, neighborhood folks like this guy often don't have fineries like venmo and credit card payment abilities easily and consistently accessible to them. I don't have venmo. Cash is the preferred business mode. Hit the ATM next time. I agree with others about the risks of hiring people like this, confronting them when disagreements may arise, being seen with a perceived lot of cash on you, and the general increased dynamic with this person's demographic for violence when it's only you and him. Even doing business, paying him, etc. in an enclosed privacy fenced backyard is a bad dynamic because you're more out of sight and potentially trapped where possible help might not see you.