Fake Check Overpayment Scam
Scammers send a check for more than agreed, then request you wire back the "extra." The check bounces days later—you owe the bank everything.
🚩 Red Flags
- ⚠Check for more than agreed amount
- ⚠Request to wire/Zelle back money
- ⚠Urgency before check "clears"
- ⚠Buyer you've never met in person
🛡️ Protect Yourself
- →REFUSE: Never accept overpayment checks
- →WAIT: Real verification takes 2-4 weeks
- →NEVER WIRE: Don't send money back
- →WALK AWAY if they insist on overpaying
More Details
- “I accidentally wrote too much”
- “Deposit and wire me the difference”
- “Keep $50 for your trouble”
- “It's a cashier's check so it's guaranteed”
Common Questions
Gift cards are untraceable instant cash. Once you read the codes, money is gone in minutes. No legitimate entity ever asks for gift card payment.
Usually no. Zelle is instant and irreversible. Banks rarely refund "authorized" transfers. Report immediately but prepare for loss.
Scammer sends check for more than owed, asks you to wire back extra. Check bounces weeks later — you owe the bank everything.
Almost certainly fake. Call your boss on a known number to verify. Scammers research companies and impersonate executives.
Report This Scam
If you've encountered this scam, report it to help protect others.
Warn Someone You Know
Know someone who might fall for this? Share this warning with them.
Related Scams
Fake Job Offer Check Scam
Scam "employers" send checks for equipment—you deposit, send back "extra," check bounces. Real employers never send checks before you start.
Facebook Marketplace Payment Scam
Scammers use fake payments, overpayment schemes, or shipping fraud on Marketplace. Cash and local meetup is safest.
Zelle Payment Scam
Scammers trick victims into sending money via Zelle through fake bank fraud alerts or overpayment schemes. Zelle transfers are instant and irreversible.
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73% of Americans targeted(Pew, 2025)
|$470M lost to text scams in 2024(FTC)
|$16.6B total losses(FBI IC3, 2024)