How It Works
A buyer "accidentally" sends more money than the agreed price for an item being sold online, then asks the seller to refund the excess amount through a different payment method. The original payment later turns out to be fake or reversed, but the seller has already sent the "refund" using real money.
Real Example
A seller agrees to sell furniture for ₹10,000. The "buyer" sends a fake confirmation showing ₹15,000 paid, then urgently asks for the ₹5,000 "extra" to be refunded via UPI before the original payment is even verified — leaving the seller out ₹5,000 with no sale completed.
Red Flags 🚩
- Buyer pays (or claims to pay) more than the agreed amount
- Urgent request to refund the "extra" amount separately
- Pressure to refund before the original payment is confirmed in your account
- Excuse involving an "accidental" transfer or "company error"
Protection Steps 🛡️
- Verify the original payment has genuinely settled in your account before refunding anything.
- Be suspicious of any "overpayment" — it's a near-universal scam pattern.
- Cancel the transaction entirely if a buyer claims accidental overpayment.
- Never send your own money based on someone else's unverified claim of payment.