Counterfeit payments in fake check scams can resemble personal checks, business checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders. The FTC says the sender usually asks the recipient to deposit the payment and forward some money elsewhere. Do not send funds against that deposit. An available balance only shows funds are available, not that the check is genuine or remains paid.
The delay is central to the scheme. The FTC explains that banks must make deposited funds available quickly, but discovering a fake check can take weeks. A recipient may therefore see money in the account before the problem is identified. Sending a refund, paying a supplier, or buying gift cards spends real money while the original deposit remains at risk.
How fake check scams exploit available funds
The FTC describes an overpayment approach in which a supposed buyer sends more than the asking price and requests the difference back. The explanation may sound like a simple mistake. Keep the sale separate from that refund instruction. Discuss the check with the bank before taking further action instead of relying on the buyer’s insistence that the balance has cleared.
Fake check scams can also use a job offer to justify forwarding funds. The FTC describes personal assistant and mystery shopping schemes that require applicants to deposit checks and buy gift cards or send money elsewhere. The employment scam guide explains why instructions to spend an employer’s check for another person’s benefit can reveal the actual purpose of the offer.
| Story | Outgoing payment requested |
|---|---|
| Accidental overpayment | Refund the supposed surplus. |
| Personal assistant job | Buy gift cards and send PINs. |
| Prize notice | Forward money for taxes or fees. |
Overpayment and job-related fake check scams
A supposed prize may arrive with a check intended to cover taxes or handling costs. The FTC warns that legitimate prizes do not require a payment to collect winnings. Do not forward part of the deposit to an administrator named by the sender. The lottery scam checks explain how the same payment trap can be wrapped in an official-looking announcement.
Fake check scams are not resolved by the document’s appearance. The FTC explains that counterfeit checks can look genuine even to bank staff and may display real financial institution names. Some are drawn on accounts connected to stolen identities. A realistic bank logo or address is not evidence that the check was authorized, funded, or issued for a genuine transaction.
Mobile deposit and the appearance of payment
A mobile deposit does not change the underlying question: is the check genuine, and why does the sender require money to be forwarded? The FTC includes electronically delivered checks among the forms used in these schemes. Do not interpret an app’s deposit confirmation as independent validation of the sender or a guarantee that the payment cannot later be rejected.
Gift card purchases make the outgoing part of the scheme difficult to reverse. The FTC describes personal assistant applicants being told to buy cards and send their PINs to a supposed employer. Keep the codes private. An instruction to evaluate a shop or pay for supplies does not make sending card value to a new contact an ordinary employment requirement.
WUFSI money orders from Western Union
WUFSI is short for Western Union Financial Services, Inc., the Western Union company that receives forgery-claim forms at a post office box in Englewood, Colorado. That name on a money order shows who issued the form, not who bought it or whether the item is genuine. The FTC notes that fake checks can look like money orders.
Western Union describes money orders as anonymous products: neither its customer service team nor the selling store can verify details without proof of purchase. A refund is possible only while the money order is uncashed, and the purchaser starts any forgery claim through customer support at 1-800-999-9660. A separate fraud hotline runs at 1-800-448-1492.
Funds showing in an account do not mean the deposited item was good, the FTC warns, and a stranger who sends a money order and asks for part back is following the overpayment pattern. Anyone who paid a scammer by money order should contact the issuer about stopping payment, and the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 for mailed items.
Contacting the bank and reporting the sender
If a suspicious check was already deposited, contact the bank and explain the sender’s instructions before moving the funds. Preserve the check, envelope or digital delivery details, messages, and any outgoing payment receipts. The reporting guide helps organize these records so the bank can assess the deposit while an agency receives a factual description of the attempted or completed scheme.
Report fake check scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and contact the provider used for any outgoing transfer immediately. The FTC recommends asking about reversal or refund even when recovery may be difficult. Tell the job board or marketplace about the originating listing as well, identifying the specific account and payment instruction instead of attributing misconduct to the platform itself.
Reporting a fake check scam
If money was forwarded after depositing a suspicious check, contact both the bank holding the deposit and the provider used for the outgoing payment immediately. The FTC recommends asking about reversal or reimbursement. Supply the check image, deposit date, and recipient details. Explain the sender’s overpayment or assignment instructions; available deposit funds should not be described as authenticated check proceeds.
A fake-check sender may also direct the recipient to a login page to confirm payment or buy equipment. If credentials were entered there, replace them through the actual service and change reused passwords. FTC guidance recommends multifactor authentication and directs identity misuse concerns to IdentityTheft.gov. Preserve the check correspondence so the account exposure can be explained alongside the outgoing payment.
An offer to retrieve money forwarded against a counterfeit check can start another loss if it requires an advance payment. FTC recovery warnings describe guaranteed refunds and requests for financial information. Keep the bank involved instead of paying a stranger who knows the check amount. The recovery scam warning signs help assess claims about reversing the original outgoing transfer.
Companies and numbers checked in this category
Questions and answers
Why can a fake check deposit appear spendable before rejection?
The FTC explains that banks must make deposited funds available before a counterfeit may be discovered. That temporary balance does not validate the check. A request to forward part of the deposit should therefore be assessed before spending, even when online banking shows available money.
Can a cashier’s check be counterfeit?
The FTC says fake checks can resemble cashier’s checks, money orders, business checks, and personal checks. They may show real bank names and addresses. The document’s design alone leaves authorization and continued availability unresolved, so the recipient should contact the financial institution through a trusted channel before treating the payment as usable.
Why do supposed employers send checks for gift cards?
The FTC describes personal assistant schemes that instruct applicants to deposit a check, buy gift cards, and send the PINs. The check can later be rejected while the card value is already gone. Do not carry out those forwarding instructions.
Is an electronically delivered check automatically safe?
The FTC includes electronically delivered checks among forms used in fake check schemes. Assess the sender and the instruction to forward money, rather than relying on the delivery method. A deposit confirmation alone is not a reason to forward money, because the payment can still be reviewed and rejected by the bank later.
Can money forwarded from a fake check deposit be recovered?
Contact the company that handled the outgoing payment immediately, explain the fake-check instructions, and request reversal. FTC guidance recommends keeping gift cards and receipts if those were used. The bank showing an available deposit means the check may still be rejected, so do not treat those funds as final payment for any purpose.
What if a fake-check employer also obtained a bank password?
Secure the bank account through the institution’s genuine app or contact number, then replace any reused password. The FTC recommends account recovery and multifactor authentication after credential exposure. Preserve the job messages and check instructions so the bank can distinguish the deposit from other account activity.
What if a check scheme also exposed a Social Security number?
Use IdentityTheft.gov for FTC steps tailored to the personal information involved, and tell the bank about the counterfeit-check transaction separately. A fake employer may have collected identity details as well as instructed a payment. Preserve the application and messages when explaining those distinct exposures.
Should a fake-check victim pay someone promising to clear the bank debt?
FTC recovery warnings apply to unsolicited offers seeking advance fees after an earlier loss. A stranger’s promise to erase the consequences of a counterfeit deposit is not a substitute for contacting the bank. Ask the outgoing payment provider about reversal and keep the check-related correspondence.
Sources
- How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams · Federal Trade Commission
- Job Scams · Federal Trade Commission
- Fake Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Scams · Federal Trade Commission
- What To Do if You Were Scammed · Federal Trade Commission
- How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams · Federal Trade Commission
- Refund and Recovery Scams · Federal Trade Commission
- Money order FAQ · Western Union
- Consumer protection FAQ · Western Union