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SOLON, Ohio (WJW) – The City of Solon Police Department is warning community members about a new social media scam that is surfacing in the area. 

According to a post on the City of Solon, Ohio Police Department Government Facebook page, there have already been two victims in Solon.

According to the post, the scams begin with a person contacting the victim on social media, including Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. This person offers to pay for many things, including photos and videos.

Next, that same person emails an image of the check with an amount greater than the agreed-upon price. They could say the excess was a mistake, but then instruct ask the victim to mobile deposit the check.

As soon as the money is available in the victim’s account, they tell the voctim to send the difference, usually by Venmo, Zelle, Apple Pay or gift cards.

After the victims sends the money, the check they emailed will be returned as fraudulent, the post said.

Victims of this scam can lose their bank account, have to pay fees, be overdrawn, and be out for all the money they sent.

“If someone you don’t know contacts you to buy something outside of the usual, secure online sales sites, you’re very likely being scammed. Don’t fall for it!” the Facebook post said. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”