Tools · Spotting scams

Fake check and overpayment scams

Someone you don't know sends you a check and asks you to send some of the money back, buy gift cards or wire it on. The check is fake. It looks real and your bank shows the money, but weeks later it bounces and you owe the bank all of it.

Easy5 minFreeChecked October 3, 2026

You'll need

Your bank's phone number
The phone number of whoever supposedly sent the check, looked up yourself

What to know

Know the setup. A stranger asks you to deposit a check, then send back money to cover taxes or fees on a prize, buy supplies for a job, or return an "overpayment". Source: FTC¹
Know the job versions. A "mystery shopper" gig tells you to evaluate a gift card or money transfer service by sending part of a check on, or a "boss" tells you to buy gift cards and send the PINs. Source: FTC¹ See Job scams and how to spot them.
Don't trust how it looks. Fake checks can look just like real ones, even to bank employees. They come as business checks, cashier's checks, money orders or electronic checks. Source: FTC¹
Don't trust your balance. By law, banks have to make deposited money available quickly, but it can take weeks to find out a check is fake. Source: FTC¹
Follow the one rule. Never use money from a check to send gift cards, money orders, crypto, or a wire to anyone who asks you to. Source: FTC¹
Verify before you deposit. Look up the bank or company that supposedly issued the check yourself, call them, and ask if the check is real. Don't use a phone number printed on the check.

Watch out When the bank finds out the check was fake, you're left without the money you sent. Source: FTC¹ The scammer has it; the bank takes the full check amount back from you.

It's the scam if…

The story	Why it's fake
You won a prize, just deposit this and send back the taxes	Real prizes don't make you pay to collect.
New job: deposit this check, buy supplies from our vendor	A real employer doesn't send you money to pass along.
Mystery shopper: test this money transfer service	That's the textbook fake check job. Source: FTC¹
Buyer sends more than your price and asks for the rest back	Overpayment scam. Source: FTC²

If you call your bank

Hi, I deposited a check today and I now think it's a fake check scam. Can you flag it, tell me if it's been returned, and make sure I don't get charged more than I have to?

See it done

Video by CBS TEXAS Local TV news

FTC Warns Of Fake Check Scam

Watch on YouTube: FTC Warns Of Fake Check Scam

2018 · Checked October 3, 2026

A Dallas news story from 2018 about a woman who lost money to a fake prize check. The trick hasn’t changed, and the FTC still warns about it.

Video won't load at school or work? No problem. Everything you need is in the steps; the video's just a bonus. Watch it on YouTube later.

If it doesn't work

Already deposited it but haven't sent anything? Call your bank, tell them you think it's fake, and don't spend or send the money.
Already sent money? Report it right away to whatever you used: your bank for a transfer, the gift card company, or the wire service, and ask them to reverse it. Source: FTC³
Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Source: FTC⁴ See What to do if you got scammed.

Good to know

The details, if you want them. Tap a line to open it.

Why it works

These scams work because fake checks generally look just like real checks, even to bank employees. Source: FTC¹

Take it with you

Printable card Download card (PDF)

Sources

Federal Trade Commission How to spot, avoid and report fake check scams
Federal Trade Commission Selling stuff online? Here's how to avoid a scam
Federal Trade Commission What to do if you were scammed
Federal Trade Commission ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Lesson T4.6 · Last checked October 3, 2026 against the sources listed.

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