Is the Check Overpayment Scam real or a scam?

This is a confirmed scam. Do not click any links, do not provide personal information, and do not send money. This is a other scam.

What should I do if I received the Check Overpayment Scam?

Do not respond or click any links. Block the sender, report the message as spam, and delete it. If it came via text message, forward it to 7726 (SPAM).

What if I already fell for the Check Overpayment Scam?

Change your passwords immediately, contact your bank if you shared financial information, place a fraud alert on your credit, and file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How do I report the Check Overpayment Scam?

Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov, and your local law enforcement. If it impersonated a specific company, report it to that company as well.

Check Overpayment Scam: Is It a Scam?

Medium Prevalence Type: Other

Yes, this is a scam. Do not click any links or provide personal information.

In a check overpayment scam, someone sends you a check for more than the agreed amount and asks you to deposit it and wire back the difference. The check is fake, and by the time your bank discovers this, you have already sent your own real money to the scammer.

How This Scam Works

You are selling something online, freelancing, or have been hired for a mystery shopping job. The scammer sends you a check for significantly more than the owed amount and says it was a mistake. They ask you to deposit the check and send the excess back via wire transfer, Zelle, or gift cards. Your bank may make the funds available within days, making you believe the check cleared. However, it can take weeks for a bank to determine a check is fraudulent. When the check bounces, the bank removes the full amount from your account, and you are responsible for the money you already sent to the scammer.

Red Flags to Watch For

Payment by check for significantly more than the agreed price
Request to return the overpayment quickly
Buyer does not want to see the item before paying
Check comes from an unexpected source or business
Urgency to send back the excess before the check fully clears

Example Scam Messages

Message: 'I'm buying the furniture for $500. I'm sending you a check for $2,500 because my accountant made it out wrong. Can you deposit it and wire me back the extra $2,000? Keep $500 for your trouble.' --- Email: 'Congratulations on your new mystery shopping position! Enclosed is a check for $3,000. Deposit it, keep $300 as your pay, and wire $2,700 to our supplier using the instructions below.' --- Message: 'I sent you $4,000 instead of $400 for the job. The check should arrive tomorrow. Please send back $3,600 via Zelle as soon as you deposit it. Sorry for the inconvenience!'

What to Do If You Received This

Never accept a check for more than the selling price
Wait at least two weeks before considering any check fully cleared
Your bank making funds available does NOT mean the check is real
Refuse requests to wire back overpayments
If a buyer overpays, tell them to void the check and send a new one for the correct amount

What to Do If You Fell For It

Contact your bank immediately and explain the situation
File a police report
If you sent money via wire, contact the receiving bank
Your bank may work with you on the debt, but you are technically liable
Report the scam to the platform where you met the buyer

How to Report This Scam

Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
File a complaint with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov
Report to your bank
Report to the US Postal Inspection Service if the check came by mail at uspis.gov

Last updated: February 10, 2026