But that’s not how legitimate sweepstakes work. Sweepstakes “winners” are given checks and told to send money to cover taxes, shipping and handling charges, or processing fees. People interested in car wrap advertising are told to deposit checks and send money to decal installers - who don’t exist. But once the money is wired, the person on the other end can disappear. The shopper gets a check with instructions to deposit it in a personal bank account and wire it to someone else. Scammers pretend to hire people as mystery shoppers and tell them their first assignment is to evaluate a retailer that sells gift cards, money orders, or a money transfer service, like Western Union or MoneyGram. Types of Fake Checks Scamsįake checks are used in many types of scams. Here’s what you need to know about fake check scams. They might look like business or personal checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or a check delivered electronically. They might say they need you to cover taxes or fees, you’ll need to buy supplies, or something else.įake checks come in many forms. The scammers always have a good story to explain why you can’t keep all the money. 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 to another person. What To Do If You Sent Money to a Scammer.Identity Theft and Online Security Show/hide Identity Theft and Online Security menu items.

Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts Show/hide Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts menu items.Money-Making Opportunities and Investments.Jobs and Making Money Show/hide Jobs and Making Money menu items.Credit, Loans, and Debt Show/hide Credit, Loans, and Debt menu items.Shopping and Donating Show/hide Shopping and Donating menu items.

Wakefy scam