The refund overpayment call
A caller claims you've been overpaid or owe a refund, and asks you to send money or share account details to 'fix' it.
Documented by the FTC & FBI IC3 · reviewed 2026-07-11T18:14:57.874Z
How it works
You receive a call from someone claiming to represent a government agency, utility company, or employer saying there's been an error in your favor—or a mistake in their records—and a refund is owed. The caller creates urgency by saying the overpayment must be corrected quickly, and then asks you to move money, buy gift cards, or provide banking information to receive or process the refund.
What it can look like
You get a call saying a tax authority or benefits program accidentally paid you extra money last year, and to avoid legal trouble you need to 'return' the overpayment by wire transfer or prepaid card purchase within 24 hours. The caller may even have some of your real information (like your name or address) to sound legitimate.
How it unfolds
Scams like this follow a pattern. Knowing the arc helps you notice where you are — and step away before the ask.
Red flags
- Caller claims you owe money or were overpaid, but you have no notice in writing from the real organization
- Pressure to act immediately or face consequences (legal trouble, account closure, benefit loss)
- Request for payment via wire transfer, gift card, prepaid card, or cryptocurrency
- Caller refuses to let you verify independently or says you cannot contact the organization directly
- You're asked to keep the call or transaction secret
What to do
- Hang up and independently verify by calling the official phone number on a recent bill, statement, or the organization's real website—never use a number the caller gives you
- Do not send money, buy cards, or share banking details, Social Security numbers, or passwords
- Report the call to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
If it already happened
Acting quickly can limit the damage. You are not alone, and it is not your fault.
- Stop all contact with the caller. Do not answer further calls from that number or similar ones, and do not call any number the caller provided.
- Contact your bank or card issuer directly using the number on your statement or official website. Tell them you may have shared account information or made a payment to a scammer, and ask them to monitor for unauthorized activity and reverse any fraudulent charges if possible.
- If you provided sensitive information (Social Security number, passwords, or account numbers), change your passwords immediately on your bank and email accounts, and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus.
- Report the incident at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and save all records of the call (date, time, phone number, and what was said) to share with authorities.
Sources
Guidance on this page draws on public, authoritative consumer-protection resources (verified live 2026-07-10). Documented by the FTC & FBI IC3 · reviewed 2026-07-11T18:14:57.874Z.
