Fake classified ad buyer overpayment check scam — buyer sends cashier's check for more than asking price + wire back the difference to their shipping agent + check bounces days later + seller loses item and wired money

Fake classified ad buyer / cashier's check overpayment scam — a well-documented fraud pattern targeting sellers on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Gumtree, and similar platforms. The scammer responds to a legitimate for-sale listing expressing urgent desire to buy the item. They offer to pay by cashier's check, certified check, or money order for an amount significantly higher than the asking price, explaining the excess covers "shipping agent fees," "moving company costs," or is simply a clerical error. Once the seller deposits the check, they are asked to wire the difference back immediately — typically to a "shipping agent" or the scammer's "assistant" — before the check clears. The seller wires real money. Days later, the bank discovers the check is counterfeit or drawn on a fraudulent account and reverses the deposit. The seller loses both the item (if shipped) and the wired money. Key facts: (1) Cashier's and certified checks CAN be forged and DO bounce — the FDIC warns that even banks sometimes make funds "available" before a check clears, which does not mean it is genuine; (2) No legitimate buyer ever needs to overpay and request wire transfer of the difference; (3) Refusing to inspect an item in person while offering full price is a scam indicator; (4) "I'm overseas / out of the country and can't meet" is a nearly universal scam script. The FTC, FBI, and every classified ad platform explicitly warn about this exact pattern. The FTC Consumer Sentinel received tens of thousands of reports of classified ad scams annually. Rule: never wire money to a stranger who has paid by check before the check fully clears (10+ business days, confirmed by your bank).