--- title: "I Accidentally Got Overpaid by My Job—What Should I Do Next?" description: "A Reddit user reported being overpaid by his job and received a suspicious email requesting repayment via Zelle. He found no record of the second payment in the Paychex app, raising concerns about the" type: "news" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/234219268.md" published_at: "2025-04-02T12:15:08.000Z" --- # I Accidentally Got Overpaid by My Job—What Should I Do Next? > A Reddit user reported being overpaid by his job and received a suspicious email requesting repayment via Zelle. He found no record of the second payment in the Paychex app, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the request. Experts advise verifying the request with HR before taking action, as such emails can often be scams. If the overpayment is confirmed, the user should return the money through a documented process, as keeping it could be considered theft and affect tax records. - A Reddit user received an email on the weekend saying his job overpaid him. - While his account appears to show a second payment, it came from a different source, and the request to return the money via Zelle seems suspicious. - The poster should check with HR to make sure he isn’t being scammed and, if he isn’t, should work with HR to return the money in a documentable way. - Earn up to 3.8% on your money today (and get a cash bonus); click here to see how. (Sponsored) A Reddit user said he was overpaid at his job, and he isn’t sure what to do next. He explained that he got an email demanding money back via Zelle. He also said he checked the Paychex app, which shows a single pay stub for the correct amount, with no record of the second payment — but his bank app does show a second additional paycheck that looks like it has different payment information. The poster is nervous about the request to send back the money, especially since his last boss ended up in legal trouble for Medicare fraud. He’s concerned that something is wrong with this request, but he does want to return his employer’s money if he was legitimately overpaid. So, what should the poster do? ## Always make sure that requests for money are legitimate The first and most important thing that the poster needs to do is to make sure that this request for money is actually a legitimate one that came from his real employer. Most companies are *not* going to ask for a Zelle payment via email if they double-paid a worker. If the overpayment was accidental, they’d likely be able to recover it themselves based on the terms of their direct deposit agreement. Even if that wasn’t the case, they’d want a more formal process with documentation of the overpayment and money being returned, not a Zelle payment based on an email sent over the weekend. This type of message is often a scam, and no one should *ever* Zelle anyone money based on an email that seems sketchy to them. The poster should instead do nothing until he can return to work on Monday and go talk to his manager and HR himself. If he receives in-person confirmation from those he works with, he can then explore with them better ways of returning the money that provide more documentation, such as writing a check. By avoiding sending payments via Zelle, which cannot be recovered and which can be hard to trace, you’ll be in a better position to avoid being scammed and having your money stolen. You can also work with a financial advisor to help you understand and avoid common money scams, as Americans lose millions each year to various types of fraud. ## Overpayments are not yours to keep If your employer *actually* overpays you and you have clear, legitimate communication about the incident from your company, then the money is not yours to keep. You’ll need to return it and, in fact, even if your employer does not notice the error, you should notify them about the discrepancy to make sure that you maintain trust. Keeping a payment that doesn’t belong to you would be a form of theft and could adversely affect your standing at work. If this happens, be sure you document everything, though, because you will want to make sure when the end of the year comes that your employer is reporting your actual earnings — without the overpayment — for purposes of taxes and your Social Security earnings record. You don’t want to end up owing the IRS money on a payment you gave back to your employer. The post I Accidentally Got Overpaid by My Job—What Should I Do Next? appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. ### Related Stocks - [PAYX.US - Paychex](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PAYX.US.md) - [RDDT.US - Reddit](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RDDT.US.md) ## Related News & Research | Title | Description | URL | |-------|-------------|-----| | Paychex Stock: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish? | Paychex Stock: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish? | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276069211.md) | | Paychex Names Cincinnati as Dual Headquarters Location | Paychex Inc. has designated Cincinnati as a dual headquarters location alongside its existing headquarters in Rochester, | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275617952.md) | | Paychex Approves Up to $1 Billion Share Buyback Plan | Paychex Approves Up to $1 Billion Share Buyback Plan | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/272853677.md) | | How Do Investors Really Feel About Paychex Inc? | Paychex Inc's short interest has decreased by 5.57%, with 14.71 million shares sold short, representing 4.58% of availab | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/272273318.md) | | Paychex Announces $1 Billion Stock Repurchase Authorization and Declares Quarterly Dividend \| PAYX Stock News | Paychex, Inc. has authorized a $1 billion stock repurchase program, replacing a previous $400 million authorization. The | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/272847999.md) | --- > **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.