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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchA check from a stranger followed by a request to send some of the money back is a classic fake-check scam—even if the check looks official or your account shows the deposit. Don’t send money or spend the proceeds. Verify any claimed government contact using the agency’s official website, then report the scam and act quickly if you already paid or shared personal information.
How to recognize a government-check scam
Scammers may claim a check comes from a government agency, or use another cover story such as a prize, job, fee, or overpayment. A common warning sign is an unsolicited check for more than you expected, paired with instructions to refund the difference or forward money elsewhere. They may ask you to buy gift cards, money orders, or cryptocurrency, or to wire funds.
The Federal Trade Commission puts the central warning plainly: “If someone you don’t know sends you a check and asks for money back, that’s a scam.” FTC guidance on fake-check scams explains that fake checks can resemble personal or business checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders, and may also arrive electronically.
Why a check or account balance can look convincing
A polished check, a familiar bank name, or money appearing in your account does not establish that the check is valid. A bank may make funds available before discovering that a check is fake; detection can take weeks. If you sent money onward, you may still have to repay the bank when the check is rejected.
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Do not treat an account balance as proof that it is safe to spend or return the funds. The sender’s request to move money is the key warning sign.
How to verify a claimed government payment or contact
Stop communicating through the phone number, link, or caller ID supplied in an unexpected message or call. Find the agency’s contact information independently on its official website and use that channel to check whether the contact or payment is genuine. Government impersonators can use official-sounding names and personal details to appear credible.
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For a tax-related claim, go directly to IRS.gov. The FTC says the IRS’s first contact about a tax issue is by mail, so do not call back a number from an unexpected call or voicemail.
What to do if you received or deposited the check
- Do not send money back or forward any part of the check. Do not buy gift cards, money orders, or cryptocurrency, and do not wire funds at the sender’s request. Do not pay a fee to collect a supposed free prize.
- If you deposited it, contact your bank or credit union promptly. Explain that the check may be fraudulent and ask what steps to take. The bank may require repayment if the check is fake; contacting it does not guarantee that a loss can be reversed.
- Keep relevant records. Save the check or electronic payment details, messages, and information about any money sent. These may help when speaking with your financial institution or making a report.
What to do if you already sent money or personal information
If you paid or transferred money
Contact the payment provider immediately and ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed. Recovery depends on how you paid, and a reversal is not guaranteed. Tell your bank or credit union if the transaction involved your account.
If you shared personal information
Use IdentityTheft.gov for identity-theft recovery steps. Report the impersonation as well; a scammer’s request for personal details can be part of the same scheme.
Where to report a fake-check or government-impersonation scam
- Federal Trade Commission: Report the fake-check scam or government impersonation at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service: Report a fake-check scam to the Postal Inspection Service.
- Your state attorney general: Report the attempted or completed scam to your state attorney general.
The FTC says reports are added to its Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure database available to local, state, and federal law enforcement. FTC staff review reports for patterns and cases and use them to develop consumer alerts. Reporting may help investigators identify related activity, even when it cannot recover money for an individual.
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What scam-loss statistics do—and don’t—tell you
The FTC reported more than $4 billion in total losses in 2025 to scams involving bank transfers and cryptocurrency, many involving government or business impersonation. That is a broad figure across those payment methods—not a count or loss estimate for government-check scams specifically. FTC 2025 data spotlight provides that broader context.
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