What it is
The fake-check scam exploits a gap in how banking works: a deposited check or transfer is made available in your account within a day or two, but it can be verified as fraudulent weeks later. During that window, the scammer gets you to send your own real money, betting that the fake payment will not be discovered until it is too late.
How it reaches you
You are "hired" fast, often for a remote or assistant role. The employer sends money "to cover equipment" or as an advance, then asks you to keep a slice and forward the rest to a vendor, a coworker, a crypto wallet, or as gift cards. Your bank shows the funds, so it feels legitimate.
The tell
Receiving money before you have worked, and any instruction to receive a payment and send part of it onward. No legitimate payroll ever works this way.
What to do
Do not deposit, spend, or forward anything. If you already deposited, call your bank, say you suspect a counterfeit check or fraudulent transfer, and ask them to return it. Report to the FTC and follow the recovery checklist. Full detail: a job wants to pay me before I start.