You finally found a buyer for your old car or that expensive dining set. They seem perfect—polite, eager, and they don’t even try to haggle. When it comes time to pay, they offer a cashier’s check. You breathe a sigh of relief. We have been taught for decades that a cashier’s check is “as good as gold,” safer than a personal check and easier than carrying cash.
But in the world of modern scams, that piece of paper is a weapon. The “fake cashier’s check” scam is currently one of the most devastating traps on Facebook Marketplace because it exploits your trust in the banking system. Criminals know exactly how bank policies work, and they are betting that you don’t. Here is why you should never accept this form of payment from a stranger.
The “Funds Available” Illusion
Here is the loophole that destroys victims: Federal law (Regulation CC) requires banks to make funds from a cashier’s check available to you quickly—usually within one business day. So, you deposit the check, you check your app the next morning, and the money is there. You think, “Great, it cleared,” and you hand over the keys to the car.
But the check has not cleared. It has only been *provisionally* credited. It can take weeks for a fake check to be discovered by the clearinghouse. When the bank finally realizes the check is a forgery, they don’t just shrug. They claw that money back from your account instantly. If you have already spent it, you are now in the negative, and the bank might even close your account for fraudulent activity.
The Overpayment Script
A classic variation of this scam involves the buyer “accidentally” sending a check for too much money. They might say, “Oh, I wrote it for $3,500 instead of $2,500. Just deposit it and wire me back the extra $1,000.” They might play on your sympathies, claiming they are moving or in a rush.
This is psychological manipulation. By focusing on the “extra” money, they distract you from the fact that the entire check is fake. You send them $1,000 of your real money, and a week later, the $3,500 check bounces. You are out the item, your money, and the $1,000 you sent them.
Why Cashier’s Checks Are Easy to Forge
In the digital age, printing a realistic-looking cashier’s check is terrifyingly easy. Scammers use high-quality paper, magnetic ink toners, and legitimate routing numbers from real banks. To the naked eye, and even to some bank tellers, they look authentic.
They often use the routing numbers of small, regional banks because they know it might take longer for the clearing process to verify the funds with a larger institution. By the time the two banks talk to each other, the scammer—and your item—are long gone.
The Safe Way to Sell
So, how do you sell a big-ticket item safely? Cash is king, but meeting at a police station or a bank lobby is safest for large amounts. If you must accept a digital payment, stick to methods that are harder to reverse once completed, but be wary even then.
For car sales, the absolute safest method is to meet the buyer at *their* bank. Watch them get the cashier’s check printed by the teller in front of you. If they bring the check with them, assume it is a fake. If they refuse to meet at the bank, walk away.
Protect Your Asset
The cashier’s check scam relies on your assumption that the buyer is honest. In the anonymous world of online marketplaces, you cannot afford that assumption. You are transacting with a stranger.
Stop viewing the cashier’s check as a guarantee of payment. View it as a potential liability. If a buyer insists on using one and refuses to verify it at the branch with you, they aren’t a buyer; they are a thief. Keep your keys in your pocket until the cash is in your hand.
Seller Beware
Have you ever encountered a buyer who insisted on using a check or “accidentally” overpaid? Tell us how you handled it in the comments!
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The post Facebook Marketplace Warning: Never Accept a “Cashier’s Check” for Big Items appeared first on Budget and the Bees.
