Why should the customer be responsible since the bank misled them by making the amount of the deposit available?

Oh my. So you were the victim of a fraud and that you sincerely thought you won so much money and started to spend that fake check?  That's an awful lot of money and a sad tale of woe. The reality is that you had the benefit of the money, and I bet that your account agreement with the bank holds you liable in this instance. Please consult your account agreement or ask the bank for a copy. Because you were a victim of fraud, I bet the bank will work with you to work this out. You don't say how much you spent, and it's entirely possible that the bank wants your house as collateral to ensure that you'll pay them for the amount you spent.  Another option might be to try to get the money back from those you paid. You don't say who you paid and for what, so that might not be an option. I don't know enough about the scam to know what chance of recovery you have and to whom it should be reported. Start with your local police and at www.ftc.gov.  The bank might already have asked you to fill out a police report.  I suspect that the fraudsters are long gone and that you'll be left holding the bag on this one as you did spend the money.  That is better than being out of money that you gave to the fraudsters which is also a common occurrence. Best of luck in resolving this matter and remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.