You listed something for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. A buyer agrees fast, then sends a check for more than the asking price — or a screenshot claiming they already sent payment through Zelle or PayPal. They ask you to refund the extra amount, or release the item before the payment fully clears. The check will bounce, or the payment was never actually sent — and by the time you find out, your refund is real money out of your own account.
Why this scam works
Banks make check funds available to you within a day or two, long before the check actually clears — which can take weeks. By the time the check bounces, you've already sent your own real money back as a "refund," and the buyer, and the item if you shipped it, are both gone. The screenshot version works the same way: a convincingly faked "payment sent" confirmation email or text (sometimes from a look-alike address like a fake "zelle-support" domain) claims money is on its way, pending a fee only you can pay to release it.
5 signs it's a scam
- They pay more than the asking price and ask for the difference back — a real buyer negotiates down, not up
- The payment comes from a third party — "my mover," "my agent," "my assistant" — not the buyer directly
- You're asked to refund or ship before the payment fully clears in your own bank's account view, not just an email claiming it's "pending"
- A "confirmation" email or screenshot asks you to pay a fee to release, unlock, or upgrade the payment before you receive it
- There's urgency to resolve it fast — before you'd normally have time to double-check with your bank
What to do instead
- Never refund the difference on an overpayment — cancel the sale and return the check/payment instead
- Wait for funds to actually clear and show as available in your bank's own app, not an email or text claiming they were sent
- Never pay a fee to "unlock" or "release" a payment you're supposed to be receiving — that's not how any legitimate payment app works
- Paste the buyer's message or a payment "confirmation" email into ScamCheck for a free risk score
- Prefer cash or in-person payment via the platform's own verified checkout for anything sold locally
FAQ
- My bank shows the check funds as available — isn't that proof it cleared? No. "Available" balance and "cleared" are different; a check can still bounce weeks after funds appear available.
- The Zelle confirmation email looked completely real. Real payment confirmations come from your bank's own app or website, not a forwarded email — always check your own account directly.
- I already sent the refund. Contact your bank immediately to report it and ask about a possible reversal or fraud claim, and report to the FTC.