Is a person asking me to cash a cheque for them and wire part of the money back a scam?
Yes, always. This is the classic cheque overpayment or money mule scam. The cheque will bounce after you have already sent real money.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
This scam takes many forms but has one constant mechanism. You are given a cheque — perhaps for a freelance job, a Craigslist sale, a scholarship, or a random stroke of luck — that is larger than expected. You are asked to deposit it and send a portion back via wire transfer, MoneyGram, Western Union, or gift card codes.
Banks typically show deposited cheque funds within one to two business days, which can lead you to believe the cheque has cleared. In reality, cheque clearing can take up to two weeks, and fraudulent cheques are often drawn on real accounts without authorisation. When the cheque is eventually returned unpaid, the bank reverses the funds from your account — but the money you wired is already gone and unrecoverable.
You are liable for the returned cheque and the funds you sent. This is true even if you acted in good faith. The law treats you as the account holder responsible for cheques you deposit.
Never wire money or send gift card codes based on a cheque that has not fully and finally cleared — which, in practice, means waiting far longer than funds appearing in your account balance.
Common red flags
- Cheque is for more than the agreed amount with a request to send the difference back
- You are asked to wire money or send gift card codes before the cheque fully clears
- The payer is a stranger or someone you met online
- The story justifying the overpayment is complicated or changes
- You are asked to use a wire service or gift cards rather than a traceable method
- Payer is insistent or creates urgency around sending the money back
What to do now
- Do not send any money until a cheque has fully and finally cleared — typically weeks, not days
- Ask your bank specifically whether the cheque is fully and finally cleared before sending funds
- If you are suspicious, decline to deposit the cheque and return it
- If you already sent money, report to your bank and to the wire service used
- File a report with your national fraud authority
- If a real employer or buyer is involved, contact them through independently verified channels to confirm the cheque's legitimacy
Frequently asked questions
If the money appeared in my account, does that mean the cheque cleared?
No. Banks make funds provisionally available before cheques are fully cleared. True clearance can take up to ten business days. Funds showing in your balance is not a guarantee.
Am I legally responsible for the returned cheque even if I did not know it was fake?
In most countries, yes. The account holder bears responsibility for cheques deposited into their account. This is why the scam is so effective — your good faith does not protect you from the bank's reversal.