Fake payment screenshot checker — real PayID or scam?
Selling something online and the buyer sends a “payment confirmation” screenshot? Upload it below to check whether it looks doctored before you hand over the goods. Free, no signup: the checker reads the image for the signs of a fake PayID or bank-transfer receipt that catch out Marketplace and Gumtree sellers every day. The golden rule underneath it all — only post or release the item once the money has actually cleared in your own account.
How fake payment confirmations work
The scam is simple: a “buyer” agrees to your price, then sends a screenshot of a PayID or bank transfer that looks completely real — because it is trivial to fake or edit one. Often it comes with a follow-up: a doctored email claiming the money is “pending” until you upgrade your PayID to a business account, or pay a small release fee. There is no such thing. PayID transfers are near-instant and free, there is no pending balance to unlock, and no legitimate system ever asks you to send money in order to receive money.
What the checker looks for
Upload the screenshot and the analysis reads it the way a wary seller would: inconsistent fonts, spacing or alignment that betray an edit; a bank or PayID screen that doesn't match the real app; balances, dates or reference numbers that don't add up; and the language of the classic “upgrade to release funds” con. It returns a verdict and the specific signals — but signals are guidance, not proof. The only certainty is your own account balance: if the funds aren't there, the payment hasn't happened, whatever the screenshot says.
Your privacy
The screenshot is downscaled in your browser and sent securely to be analysed — it is never shown to other users and we don't publish it. You don't need to share your full account number to check whether a payment is real, so crop or avoid uploading anything you don't need to.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a PayID or bank transfer screenshot is fake?
Upload the screenshot above and the checker reads it for tell-tale signs of a fake: mismatched fonts or alignment, a fabricated bank or PayID interface, impossible balances or dates, and details that don't line up. You get a verdict and the specific signals found. The one certain check, though, is simpler: only release the goods once the money has actually landed in your own account — a screenshot is not proof of payment.
Is the 'PayID upgrade' or 'business account' request a scam?
Almost always, yes. A common Marketplace scam sends a fake email or screenshot claiming your PayID needs to be 'upgraded to business' before the funds release, and asks you to pay a fee to unlock them. PayID never works like that — there is no upgrade fee and no pending balance to release. Any request to send money to receive money is a scam.
The buyer sent a receipt — why hasn't the money arrived?
Because a receipt or confirmation screenshot can be faked in seconds, while a genuine PayID transfer between banks is usually near-instant. If someone insists they've paid but your account shows nothing, don't hand over the item. Legitimate buyers understand a seller waiting for funds to clear.
Is my screenshot private?
The image is downscaled in your browser and sent securely to be analysed — it's never shown to other users, and we don't publish it. Don't upload screenshots that show your full account number or other details you don't need to share to check whether a payment is real.
I already sent the item and now think the payment was fake — what now?
Contact your bank straight away — speed matters. Then follow our step-by-step recovery walkthrough for exactly who to contact and in what order, and report it so the scammer's account can be actioned.
Got a suspicious message rather than a screenshot? The message checker reads texts and emails, and the link checker vets any website. Already sent the item and worried you were paid with a fake? Here's exactly what to do now.