SCAM LIBRARY · MONEY & PAYMENT
The 'accidental payment, send it back' scam
Someone sends you money by mistake, asks you to send it back quickly, but the payment wasn't real—and you end up out of pocket.
Documented by the FTC & FBI IC3 · reviewed 2026-07-07
How it works
You receive a payment (via check, digital transfer, or other method) that appears to land in your account. The sender then contacts you urgently, apologizing for an 'accidental overpayment' and asking you to return the extra amount right away. The pressure and apparent legitimacy of the initial payment make you feel obligated to help.
What it can look like
You get a message from someone saying they mistakenly sent you $500 instead of $50 for an item you're selling online. They ask you to wire back the $450 'overpayment' immediately. You see what looks like a deposit in your account, so you send the money back—but days later, the original payment bounces or is reversed.
Red flags
- Urgent pressure to send money back quickly, before you verify the payment
- The original payment appears in your account but later bounces or is reversed
- The sender asks you to return funds via wire transfer, gift card, or hard-to-trace method
- You're asked to send money back before the initial payment has fully cleared
- The story feels slightly off or the sender is vague about why the 'mistake' happened
What to do
- Do not send any money back until the payment has fully cleared your bank (ask your bank how long this takes for that payment method).
- If you're unsure whether a payment is real, contact your bank directly using a number on your bank statement—not a number the sender gives you.
- Report the incident to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov so others can be warned.