Fake check and overpayment scams when you sell online
A buyer or employer “accidentally” pays too much and asks you to send the difference back.
Could you spot it?
3 quick examples. Decide scam or legit for each.
How it works
You're selling something online, or you just got a job or prize. A check or transfer arrives for more than you're owed, with a story about a mix-up or a mover's fee. You're asked to deposit it and send the difference back by gift card, wire or payment app.
The check looks real and the bank makes the money available within days, but it can bounce weeks later. You owe the bank everything you withdrew.
Red flags
- A payment for more than the agreed amount.
- A request to send the extra back, or to pay a third party like a “mover”.
- Pressure to act before the check has fully cleared.
- A buyer who wants to pay outside the marketplace's own checkout.
What it looks like
You listed a dining table for $350 on an online marketplace.
The tells:
- Buying without seeing it or asking a single question.
- A payment for much more than your price.
- Forwarding the extra to a third person.
A training example written for this site. Names, numbers and links are made up, and links are disabled.
What to do
- Never send money back to someone who overpaid you.
- Use the marketplace's own payment system, and let the full payment clear first.
- A check “clearing” doesn't mean it's good. Ask your bank.
If you already paid or shared information
- Contact the company you used to pay (your bank, card company, gift card company, payment app or wire service) right away and ask them to reverse the payment.
- If you shared a password, change it now and turn on two-factor authentication.
- If you gave out your Social Security number or other ID details, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For scams that happened online, you can also report to the FBI at ic3.gov.
From FTC: What to do if you were scammed.
Latest alerts about this scam
No recent FTC, CISA or FBI alerts are tagged with this scam. The guidance below still applies.
Sources
- FTC: How to spot, avoid, and report fake check scams
- FTC: Selling stuff online? Here's how to avoid a scam
Related scams
Payment app scams
A stranger “accidentally” sends you money and asks for it back, or a seller insists on a payment app.
Verification code scams
Someone asks you to share a one-time code that was just sent to you.
Account alert phishing
An email or text says your account is locked, suspended or about to expire, and links to a sign-in page.