If you are a yoga teacher, massage therapist, or other wellness practitioner, you’ve probably worked hard to get the word out about your services. And it’s a good feeling when new customers reach out to you. Unfortunately, though, scammers pretending to be new customers are looking to disrupt your Zen — and take your money.
Here’s a typical scenario to help you spot the scam when you see it.
Someone from out of town contacts you to book an appointment while they’re visiting the area. Their emails are pretty detailed and convincing. They ask about your rates and your availability, mentioning specific dates. After you provide details, they agree to your terms and you set up the appointment. Everything sounds normal so far.
This supposed new customer sends a check before the first session — for more money than you requested. Oops, they overpaid by “mistake” and they ask that you return the balance to them.
The alarm sounding off in your head should be pretty loud at this point. Even if the check looks legitimate, when a stranger overpays and asks you to send money back, it’s a sure sign of a fake check scam. If you deposited the check and sent the difference, you’ll not only lose your money, you’ll also be on the hook with your bank for the bounced check.
Fake Checks Can Cost You
If someone you don’t know overpays you and asks for money back, remember these tips:
- Don’t deposit the check
- Don’t send any money back
- Report your experience at ftc.gov/complaint
To learn more about fake check scams, check out our article and take a minute to listen to the audio tip above. And feel free to cross-post this blog to your site or link to it on your social network. Sharing with your fellow wellness practitioners can help them avoid this scam, too.
