Should I Deposit a Check from a Sugar Daddy?

You must have heard of the sugar daddy check scam gaining ground these days. It is way that scammers use to con young women out of a good sum of money. This scam comes in various forms, but the base process and outcome is same. The sugar babies believe they have received or are about to get a huge amount. Scammers then ask for some of the money back. Sometimes, sugar babies are asked to pay a small sum to verify that they are legit. After they are paid, the fake sugar daddy disappears, and there is no way to trace them!

What Is Sugar Daddy Check Scam?

The technique used in the sugar daddy check scam is pretty straightforward – scammers always lure sugar babies with the promise of cold, hard cash. Young women are approached on social media, who might require financial assistance. Some could be struggling to pay tuition for college, others might face a hard time paying bills, etc.

The scammer promises them hundreds of dollars a week in return for their companionship. They say they are rich and lonely, so they need a sugar baby to spend time with and spoil. They even stress that they would be content with a virtual relationship.

It seems easy money, so many women fall for the sugar daddy check deposit scam. Both parties mutually agree on an amount, which would be sent via check, in return for sexting, sending images, or even general conversation.

How Does the Sugar Daddy Check Scam Work?

In a sugar daddy check scam, the sugar baby is sent a check as prepayment for their companionship. The amount is always greater than the figure agreed upon, so the scammer asks the sugar baby to refund the difference. The victim waits for the check to “clear” and then sends the refund by money order or gift card, which are conveniently non-traceable and non-refundable. Banks are required to make the funds of a check available within a few days. However, it can take weeks for banking system to actually identify a forged check and stop the payment on it. When the check finally bounces, the victim has sent real money to the scammer already!

There is another version of the fake sugar daddy check scam, where the sugar daddy sends fake funds to the victim’s bank or Venmo account. Venmo can make funds available immediately and reverse the transaction later if there is a problem. The victim is asked to send a gift card to the sugar daddy as a sign of appreciation. Once redeemed by the scammer, the gift card can’t be refunded, but the fraudulent money transfer the victim received will disappear for sure!

If My Sugar Daddy Sent Me a Mobile Check, What Should I Do? 

So you received a mobile check from your sugar daddy! Don’t get too excited, because this is yet another variation of the sugar daddy check scam. To win your trust, they will probably send proof of others who have successfully received payment. For example, they show you fake PayPal/Cash App transaction records, or they might use stolen credit cards/fake checks. This is a common tactic of a mobile deposit scam by sugar daddy.

You get the check, deposit it, and see the money in your account. At times, the amount will be much more than agreed upon, or the sugar daddy asks for some money urgently. You use these funds to send the money to the scammer, via gift cards, money transfer services, or even cash.

The bank will take the initial deposit back in anywhere from a week to a month, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. If you don’t have the funds to cover the amount, your balance becomes negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and the account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam.

The best thing to do to protect yourself from this version of sugar daddy check scam is to return the mobile check immediately, especially if the amount isn’t right. Ask for a check with the correct amount, deposit it, and wait till it clears before you begin spending any money. Don’t send any money to a sugar daddy for medical emergencies or any other reason whatsoever. If they are super rich to take good care of you, they won’t be asking for financial assistance.

Other Types of Sugar Daddy Scams You SHould Watch Out For

Sugar Baby Loyalty Test

Sugar daddies will try to convince you to pay them in advance by promising a large allowance first. They make up a story about being scammed by fake sugar babies, so they need “proof of loyalty”. That is the only way they can trust you, so all you have to do is send them a small sum of money or a gift card. But as mentioned above, it should be the other way around – they have to pay you for companionship. So any sugar daddy who asks for money first is 100% fake!

Sugar Daddy Cash App Scams

Cash App is a good way to receive allowance as sugar babies as it protects your identity. But it can be used by fake sugar daddy scams to cheat you out of a good sum. Any third-party app can be used for this purpose, such as Paypal, Venmo, and so on. You have to give your Cash App tag to the sugar daddy in order to proceed with the transaction, once you build up a rapport.

After providing it, you get an image that shows the money is being transferred to your account, but is temporarily paused due to a transaction fee required. The picture might even show the money being transferred, but you can’t see it after checking the Cash App. This is when the sugar daddy persuades you to pay the nominal transaction fee to get the allowance. Needless to say, the picture is fake, because the Cash App doesn’t charge anything for transactions.

Sugar Daddy Instagram Scams

Instagram scams are when sugar daddies DM you with tempting promises and offers that are too good to be true. They address you as “baby”, “honey”, or “sweetie”, all the time. Gradually, they ask for bank details, or even ask for the loyalty test as stated above. You have to be meticulous to read the signs of a scammer sugar daddy and never tell them anything private, much less send money or gift cards. 

Sugar Daddy Wants to Add Me to Payroll

Remember, your bank information is precious, which is why sugar daddies will insist that you share those details. They sweet-talk you into revealing the username and password of your bank account. At times, they say they would like to make a deposit via their account officer to give you payroll allowances weekly or monthly. That is why; you have to give them the necessary bank details. However, sugar babies receive allowances through cash apps or by cash only. Once you share your username and password, scammers can do anything they wish to, and it is very hard to retrieve the money. Even if you give them a new account with no money in it, they can use it for criminal acts.

Sugar Daddy Want to Add Me to Payroll? That's Scam!>>

Read Signs of Sugar Daddy Check Scam to Avoid Being Scammed

It is imperative to stay alert, so you don’t fall victim to the sugar daddy check scam. Here are some classic signs:

Generic profile pictures

A very obvious rule of sugar dating is to post images that show the face clearly. But if someone’s profile pictures are of generic images like mountain scenery, sunset, or a road sign, it means something is wrong. At times, they use other people’s profile photos. A reverse image search could confirm this.

Brags about wealth

If he talks to you about how rich he is right off the bat or constantly talks about the expensive stuff he owns, it should be a red flag. Wealthy men don’t have to rub it in other people’s faces all the time.

Asks for money

A sugar daddy is supposed to send you money, not the other way around. If they ask for money by wire transfer, it usually means they don’t intend to meet or return the cash. They could feign a problem like requiring urgent cash for a medical emergency. Sometimes, they demand payment first so they can verify if you are genuine or not.

Insists on bank details

Don't share your bank account, credit card or debit card numbers as they can be easily used to steal money. For safety purposes, Venmo or Cash App user names only. Never give change or refunds.

Doesn't have a job listed

This one can get a bit tricky because sometimes people are self-employed or work commission-only jobs. However, if someone claims to make six figures but doesn’t have any visible means of income listed on their profile, it is a sign that something isn’t adding up.

Doesn't seem want to meet

Most sugar relationships end up in an in-person meet. While some sugar daddies prefer to keep it to texting only, most would prefer to meet, especially if they are spending money on sugar babies. If they don’t wish to meet and seem to be in a hurry to send money, it could be a scam. 

Conclusion

The sugar daddy check scam is just like any other scam – the ultimate goal is to cheat you out of your money! That is why you have to use common sense and rely on instincts. As a sugar baby you might be desperate to get access to quick cash, but don’t be so blinded with the promise of a huge amount that you end up losing your personal savings. It is advisable to use a reliable sugar dating platform to seek out sugar daddies, because they verify profiles and use face recognition software to detect pictures that might be fakes.