Buyer scams on eBay: how fake payments and overpayments work
Quick answer
A buyer who pays with a fake payment notice, a check for too much or an "accidental double payment" wants your item or your refund. Don't ship or refund until the money is really in your account, and never send back an overpayment.
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How it works
These scams target people who sell things online. The scammer plays an eager buyer, then arranges payment in a way that only looks like it worked.
The FTC describes the common versions:
- A fake payment notice. The buyer insists on paying through a mobile payment app, then sends a notification that looks like the money arrived. Nothing did, and the hope is that you ship first.
- The accidental double payment. The buyer claims they paid twice, or that something went wrong with the payment, and asks you to refund one of the payments.
- The overpayment check. The buyer offers a check for more than the price and asks you to send back the difference. The check is fake, but once deposited it can show up in your balance, so it looks real for a while.
The goal is your item, your money, or both.
Red flags
- A buyer who insists on a payment app or a payment method you didn't offer
- A payment notification that arrives in an email or text instead of inside your own account
- A buyer who says they paid twice and asks you to refund one payment
- A check for more than the price, with a request to send back the difference
- Pressure to ship right away, before the money has cleared
- A buyer who wants to move the chat off the marketplace
Example message
Hi, I'll take it at your price. I sent the payment through the app, you should have a notification. Please ship today. Sorry, I paid twice by mistake, can you send the extra back to me? Here is the receipt: [link]
What to do
- 1
Check the money in your own account
Open your bank or payment account yourself and look for the deposit. Don't trust a notification, receipt or screenshot the buyer sent.
- 2
Don't ship or refund until it's real
Never send back an "overpayment" or a refund for a payment you can't see. A deposited check can appear in your balance and still turn out to be fake.
- 3
If you already sent money or shipped
Call your bank or payment provider right away using the number on your card or in your official app, and tell them it was fraud. Keep the messages and any tracking number.
- 4
Stop the chat and report the buyer
Stop replying, and report the buyer through the marketplace where you listed the item. Then report the scam to the FTC.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers need a way to reach you and a few details that make the message believable: your name, your phone number, your email, sometimes your address or the bank you use. They buy those details from people-search sites and data brokers, or pick them up from data breaches.
Serus finds the data brokers that list you and removes the listings, and it alerts you when your email or other data turns up in a breach, so fewer scammers can build a convincing message about you.
Frequently asked
Is it a scam if a buyer wants to pay with a payment app?
Not always, but the FTC warns about buyers who insist on one and then send a fake payment notification. Check your own account for the money before you ship.
Why would a buyer send a check for too much?
The check is fake. If you deposit it and send back the difference, the check later fails and the money you sent is gone. The FTC says never to send money to someone who says they overpaid you by check.
What if the buyer says they paid twice by accident?
Treat that as a warning. Look in your own account. If there is only one payment, or none, there is nothing to refund.
Where do I report it?
Report it to the marketplace and at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If you sent money, call your bank or payment provider first.
Sources
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