Cheque Overpayment Refund Scam by email

How it looks by email, the red flags and what to do.

An email gives the scammer room to look official: a signature, a fake invoice, an attachment and a button that goes to a lookalike login page. Cheque Overpayment Refund Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A buyer sends a cheque for more than the price and asks you to return the difference. The cheque bounces after you send real money.

What cheque overpayment refund scam looks like by email

• A button that says "Verify account" or "View invoice".
• An attachment such as a PDF, ZIP or HTML file you did not expect.
• A generic greeting instead of your name.

The scammer finds you through an advert for an item, a rental, a vehicle or a service. They agree quickly and offer to pay by cheque, saying that they are travelling or that their company only pays by cheque. They send a photo or courier a cheque that looks real, with a date, signature and a bank name that you can see.

Red flags to check on the email

• A buyer pays more than the price and wants the difference back.
• You are told to send money before the cheque clears.
• A pending credit in your app is treated as proof of payment.
• The buyer agrees to everything quickly and avoids meeting.
• It carries a surprise invoice, refund or legal notice.
• The sender address has an extra word or letter.

What to do

1. Wait until the cheque has fully cleared before sending anything.
2. Ask your bank how long clearing takes and whether the credit is final.
3. Do not hand over goods until funds are confirmed in your account.
4. Do not open the attachment and do not press the button.
5. Go to the company website by typing it yourself and check your account there.
6. Check the full sender address, not just the display name.

Use Report phishing in your email app. If money or accounts are affected, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 if you sent money and give the transaction details.
2. Tell your bank on the number on your passbook and ask about the returned cheque.
3. Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in with copies of the cheque and chat.
4. Keep records of the goods and the courier or driver details.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio's Money Shield checklist reminds you to verify before sending money to someone you do not know, and the scam check can review the buyer's chat and show money-demand and urgency signals. It cannot check a cheque or tell when your bank has cleared it, so ask your bank before returning anything. Ask your bank about clearing first. Wait for clearing.

Full guide: Cheque Overpayment Refund Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: WhatsApp, phone call, social media.

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