Someone bought something I was selling online and sent me a check or money order for more than the price of the item. Th

Tip

If someone you don’t know sends you money and asks you to forward or transfer the money, you could be fueling fraud by serving as a money mule.

In this common scam, scammers send counterfeit money orders or bad checks for an amount greater than the price of your item, then ask for the difference back, in the hopes of getting their hands on your real money. If you deposit a counterfeit check or money order, you will not receive any funds or, if the funds are deposited, you will have to pay the funds back even if you have already withdrawn them from your account. Alert your bank or credit union if you believe you received a counterfeit check or money order. Also take these important steps right away.

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