Better Business Bureau warns of fake check scam

The Better Business Bureau says to watch out for a check scam.

The BBB says it is mostly an employment scam. Scammers will offer to hire you, but want to pre-pay you. They will send you a check, ask you to deposit it, and then ask to send some money back to them. Or, you will be told you won a prize, they will send you money and then ask you to send some back. The BBB says about 500,000 people have fallen for the scam, most who are between 20 and 29-years old. They say to not trust it, if it is asking for money back.

“If something seems too good to be true, it usually is,” said Jeremy Johnson with the Better Business Bureau. “As far as employment scams go most legitimate companies will not prepay you or pay you and then ask you to return some of the money. So that’s just something definitely to watch out for, should be a red flag.”

If you do deposit a fake check, it is the victim’s responsibility to pay the bank back, not the scammer. If you are scammed, you can report it here.