Have you ever received a check for more than expected? It may be scam if
- You are asked to send part of it back to them because the sender accidentally sent too much.
- The sender asks you to do something for them, such as pay off debt or buy gift cards, and you can keep the extra funds for helping them.
- The sender tells you the extra should be used to pay for taxes, shipping, or other fees and then gives you a link, Venmo account, or Paypal account to pay these things for them.
- You are requested to “mystery shop” various stores with the money, send the purchases back to the send, and to keep the rest as payment.
By the time you realize the check was fraudulent, you can’t get back the “extra funds”, and you may be out payment for goods sold or services rendered. Be especially wary of requests for refunds via untraceable methods such as cash, gift cards, or wire transfers.
Be sure to check out our Blog or our page on Facebook for fraud tips every Friday. We’ll cover different types of fraud as well as red flags to help you identify when it might be a scam.
Remember, if you have questions about a possible fraud situation or just an uneasy feeling about a phone call, text, email, or transaction, feel free to contact the Fraud Department at (605) 934-2500.