DateableHow the "I sent too much, please send it back" scam works
A scammer deposits money from a fraudulent account, says it was a mistake, and asks you to return the difference as gift card codes. Then the deposit vanishes.
A scammer deposits money into your account from a fraudulent source, says they sent too much by mistake, and asks you to buy gift card codes and send them back. By the time the deposit fails, you have already spent your own money on the codes and the scammer has the card numbers and PINs. You are now short the amount you sent plus whatever your bank charges you for the failed deposit.
How it starts
You are chatting with someone on a dating app. The conversation moves to money: they mention an upcoming payment, ask to borrow money, or offer to send you something. Then the message comes: they have sent you a large sum, often $500 to $5,000, to cover a first date, a gift, or a loan.
Minutes later they send another message: they made a mistake and sent too much. They ask you to return the difference. The catch is the way they want it back: through gift card codes from iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Target or another retailer. Never through a direct transfer or bank payment. Always gift cards.
Why gift cards
Gift cards are like cash. A gift card number and PIN spend immediately and cannot be reversed. Once you give them the codes, the scammer redeems them within minutes and the money is gone. Your bank cannot call it back.
This is why scammers ask for gift cards instead of a direct transfer. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. 1 If someone you met online asks you to buy one, they are a scammer.
What happens next
By law, banks must make deposited funds available quickly; money showing in your account does not mean the cheque is good. 2 The deposit looks real for a few days. Your balance goes up. You feel like you can afford to buy the gift cards.
You buy the codes. You photograph them or type them out and send them to the scammer. Within minutes, the codes are redeemed and your money is gone.
A week or two later, sometimes three weeks, the original deposit fails. The bank removes the money from your account. Your balance drops by the full original amount. If the deposit was $2,000 and you sent back $500 in gift card codes from your own pocket, you are now $2,500 down.
Some people discover they have also been charged overdraft or insufficient funds fees by their bank for the failed deposit.
What to do if this is happening
If someone you met online sends you money and asks you to buy gift cards and send back the codes, it is a scam. Return nothing.
Thank you for sending the money, but I'm not comfortable with how you want me to send it back. I'd rather do a direct transfer. Let me know the details and I'll handle it.
If they refuse, or get angry, or suddenly have a reason why they cannot take a direct transfer: they are a scammer and you have just found out. Stop replying.
Once you stop replying, tell your bank right away. Call them and say a deposit came in from an online contact that looks suspicious. Ask them to hold it or flag it for review. Banks see this pattern all the time and they are very good at spotting fraudulent deposits before they cause you any harm.
If you already sent the codes
If you have already bought the gift cards and sent the codes, call the gift card company straight away. The faster you report it, the better your chance of stopping the codes being redeemed or recovering the money.
- Tell them the codes were obtained through a scam.
- Keep the gift card and the receipt.
- Ask what the company can do to help you.
Then tell your bank about both the failed deposit and the scam. Your bank cannot reverse the gift card purchase, but it may be able to reverse a wire transfer or a credit card charge if you used one to buy the codes instead of your debit card.
Report the scammer's profile to the dating platform and block them. Save screenshots of all the messages, especially the ones where they asked for the gift cards. You may need them if you file a police report.
The lines that matter
- Anyone you met online who sends you money and then asks for gift cards is a scammer.
- Gift card codes cannot be reversed and the money cannot be recovered.
- If you paid a scammer with a gift card, contact the gift card company straight away and keep the card and the receipt. 1
- Tell your bank the deposit looks suspect before you spend any of your own money.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission (2023). Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams.
- Federal Trade Commission (2025). How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams.
