Is a Craigslist or classifieds buyer who wants to pay by cashier's check and arrange their own shipping a scammer?
Almost certainly yes. This is one of the oldest and most consistent classifieds fraud patterns.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
The overpayment cashier's check scam has been running for decades. A buyer responds to a local listing, says they cannot collect in person, offers to pay by cashier's check — often for more than the asking price — and explains they will arrange their own shipper. Once you deposit the check, it appears to clear initially. You send the item to the shipper (controlled by the scammer) and refund the overpaid amount. Days later the check bounces and you lose both the item and the refunded money. Cashier's checks can take up to two weeks to fully clear and funds showing in your account do not mean the check is genuine. Only accept cash in person for local classifieds sales and meet in a public place.
The scam survives decades of warnings because it exploits a genuine gap in how banks display money: regulations in many countries require funds to be made available before a check has truly been verified, so your balance shows the deposit while the underlying instrument is still working its way back to an issuing bank that may not exist. When it bounces, the bank reverses the deposit and holds you responsible for anything you spent or refunded. The overpayment is the giveaway worth teaching anyone who sells online: there is no honest reason for a buyer to send more than the price and ask for change, ever, in any format.
Common red flags
- Buyer cannot collect locally and wants to use their own shipper
- Payment by cashier's check, money order, or certified check
- Check is for more than the asking price with a request to refund the difference
- Buyer is overly eager and willing to pay without negotiating
- Communication style is formal or slightly unusual
What to do now
- Accept cash in person only for local classifieds transactions
- Never ship an item before full verified payment has cleared
- Wait at least two weeks for a check to fully clear — not just show in your balance
- Report the scam to the classifieds platform and your bank
Frequently asked questions
Can a cashier's check really be fake?
Yes. Fake cashier's checks look convincing and can fool even bank tellers initially. The bank will hold you responsible for the amount once the check bounces even though it appeared cleared.
Why does my bank show the money if the check has not really cleared?
Availability rules require banks to release funds on a schedule that runs faster than full verification. The displayed balance is provisional — if the check later proves fake, the deposit is reversed.