Is a cashier's check from a buyer always safe to deposit?
No. Cashier's checks can be convincing fakes that appear to clear initially but are later reversed, leaving you responsible for any funds you withdrew or forwarded.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Fake cashier's check scams are common in private sales, rental transactions, and overpayment schemes. The buyer sends a check that appears authentic and the bank may even show an initial credit while waiting for final settlement. This provisional credit is sometimes mistaken for cleared funds. If you withdraw or forward money during this window and the check later bounces, the bank reverses the entire amount and you are liable for what you spent. Genuine cashier's checks can be verified by calling the issuing bank using a number from their official website — not a number printed on the check itself.
The scam succeeds because 'the bank accepted it' feels like validation. In reality, tellers are not verifying authenticity at deposit, and rules oblige banks to make funds available on a schedule that runs faster than counterfeit detection. The forged check travels back through the clearing system and fails later — at which point the deposit reverses, and any money you wired away in the meantime was simply yours.
Overpayment is the giveaway wrapped around the instrument: there is no honest reason for a buyer to send more than the price and ask for the difference back, whatever story accompanies it — shipping agents, moving costs, a clerical error. Any transaction that ends with you sending money to a buyer has inverted; that inversion is the scam.
Common red flags
- Check is for more than the agreed amount — seller asked to refund the difference
- Buyer insists on paying by cashier's check when other methods are available
- You are asked to wire back part of the funds before the check fully clears
- Buyer is in a rush for you to deposit and confirm
What to do now
- Ask your bank to hold the funds until full clearance — not provisional credit
- Verify the check by calling the issuing bank on a number from their official website
- Do not withdraw or transfer any of the funds until full clearance is confirmed
- If the check was fraudulent, report to your bank and local law enforcement
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a cashier's check to truly clear?
A bank's provisional credit may appear within 1–2 days, but full settlement can take up to 10 business days. Never treat provisional credit as cleared funds.
My bank said the funds were 'available'. Isn't that the same as cleared?
No — availability is a timing requirement, not a verdict on the check. A counterfeit can bounce after funds show as available, and the bank will reverse the full amount from your balance when it does.