Overpayment and refund scam
You are 'accidentally' overpaid and asked to send back the difference.
How to spot it
- Overpayment
- Return the difference by wire or gift card
What to do
Do not refund from a cheque or transfer that has not fully cleared; escalate to the owner.
What the real thing looks like
- A genuine refund request through the original payment method
Try an example
A practice example with fictional companies. Answer it, then see the tells.
Is this email a scam or legit?
FromFrom: Priya S.Sender address: priya.s.orders@freemail-box.example
Tome
Payment for equipment order
Hello,
I have sent a check for the equipment order. My assistant added an extra zero by mistake, so the check is for $9,500 instead of $950.
Please deposit it and wire back the difference of $8,550 to my shipping agent today. We will send the equipment once the refund arrives.
Sure and right: +15. Sure and wrong: -5. Calling a legitimate item a scam counts as a miss.
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