Why would someone want you to deposit a check at an atm
What happens if you deposit a fake check from a scammer.
What happens if you deposit a fake check without knowing it
What Happens if You Unknowingly Deposit a Fake Check?
Did You Accidentally Deposit a Fake Check?
Tammy was struggling to care for her elderly parents when she received an email offering her a new job [*].
It finally seemed like her luck was turning around, especially after the interview — when Tammy’s prospective employer offered to pay for a new laptop.
All Tammy had to do was deposit a check for $1,900 and send the money to another payee via Zelle.
When the $1,900 appeared in her account, she went ahead with the transfer thinking there was no risk.
But by the time her bank realized the check was fake, it was too late. They charged the check’s full amount back to Tammy, leaving her in the red after having sent all her own money to the scammer.
In 2021 alone, Americans reported over 39,000 fake check scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), costing $78 million [*].
Even worse, people in their 20s were more than twice as likely to fall victim to fake check scams [*].
In this guide, we’ll explain what happens when you deposit a fake check (and if you’re liable f