Fake Check Scams

If someone you don’t know sends you a check and asks for money back, that’s a scam.

Fake checks come in many forms. They might look like business or personal checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or electronic checks. Here’s what you need to know about fake check scams.

In a fake check scam, a person you don’t know asks you to deposit a check — sometimes for several thousand dollars, and usually for more than you are owed — and send some of the money back, to them or another person. The scammers always have a good story to explain the overpayment. They might say they’re stuck out of the country, they need you to cover taxes or fees, you’ll need to buy supplies, or something else.