How do certified check scams work?

When they're legitimate, they offer guaranteed funds: Recipients don't have to worry about a personal check bouncing, and money from the check is usually available for spending within one ... How cashier's checks bounce: These scams work because everybody believes that cashier's checks are safe. read more

The mechanics of the scam are fairly simple and are explained in this excellent Snopes article: Cashier's Check Overpayment Scam. If you want a rather roundabout example of how it played out in real life, keep reading. read more

A Typical Cashier’s Check Scam The most common cashier’s check scam goes something like this: A "buyer" wants to purchase a product and will use a cashier’s check. For whatever reason, the buyer has a check issued for an amount in excess of the purchase price. read more

In the mystery-shopping scam, victims are told to deposit a cashier's check in their bank account and withdraw the amount in cash. They must then use a money-transfer service to send the funds to the scammer and "evaluate" the service. read more