High riskBank & Payment Scams

Mobile Cheque Deposit Scam

In this scam, you are paid to deposit cheques using your mobile banking app and forward most of the funds, but the cheques are fake; when they bounce, the money is reversed and you are left liable, and you may be muling fraud.

Quick verdict

Risk level
High risk
Scam type
Money muling (remote deposit)
Main red flag
Someone pays you to deposit cheques via your app and forward the funds.
What to do first
Refuse. Do not deposit cheques for others or forward the funds.

What this scam usually looks like

In this scam, you are paid to deposit cheques using your mobile banking app and forward most of the funds, but the cheques are fake; when they bounce, the money is reversed and you are left liable, and you may be muling fraud.

Example message pattern

Example pattern — not a real report
Example pattern: 'Just deposit these cheques with your phone, keep a cut, and send the rest to my account. Easy money!'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

Red flags to watch for

  • A request to deposit cheques via your app for someone else
  • Permission to keep a percentage
  • A request to forward most of the funds
  • Use of your personal account for others' cheques
  • Pressure to act quickly

What to do

  • Refuse to deposit cheques for others or forward funds
  • Never let others route money through your account
  • Be wary of 'easy money' deposit jobs
  • Report the request to your bank and authorities

If you already clicked or replied

  • Stop forwarding any funds immediately
  • Contact your bank, as your account may be used for fraud and frozen
  • Expect bounced cheques to be reversed, leaving you liable
  • Keep evidence and report it to authorities

What not to do

  • Do not deposit cheques for other people
  • Do not forward funds from deposited cheques
  • Do not assume 'available' funds are truly cleared

Similar scams

High risk Bank & Payment

Fake Cheque Scam

A buyer, employer, or prize giver sends a cheque for more than you are owed and asks you to deposit it and send back the difference. The cheque later bounces, the bank reclaims the full amount, and you are left owing the money you sent on.
High risk Job

Money Mule Job Scam

This scam hires you as a 'payment processor', 'financial agent', or 'transfer assistant' to receive money into your account and forward it on, making you a money mule who launders the proceeds of fraud.
Medium risk Bank & Payment

Cheque Cashing Service Scam

In this scam, a fake or predatory cheque-cashing service offers to cash your cheque quickly, then charges extortionate hidden fees, underpays you, or takes the cheque and disappears.

Frequently asked questions

Why is this illegal or risky?
The cheques are fake and reverse when they bounce, leaving you liable, and forwarding the proceeds of fraud can make you a money mule with legal consequences.
But I keep a cut, so isn't it a job?
No legitimate job has you deposit cheques in your personal account and forward the funds. It is a muling scam.
I already deposited and forwarded funds. What now?
Stop, contact your bank immediately, keep your evidence, and report it; the cheques will likely be reversed.
How do I spot this?
Any arrangement using your bank account to deposit others' cheques and forward money, with a cut for you, is a scam.

Last reviewed: June 2026

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.