FAKE USPS money orders

[CALREB]

We had a strange one ,although these days NOTHING is much of a suprise anymore. Wife was selling a saddle on a horse type website. People contacted her, wishing to buy . She advised them USPS M/O only. They said no problem.
There was another side to the scam where they wanted to send extra money and then YOU wire it to a third party SHIPPER. So we knew it was a scam, but decided to play along. People sent several USPS M/Os ,and they looked pretty good just wrong paper and little silver "usps" logo instead of holographic type.
Reported it P/O, said they are being flooded with these fake M/O. Lots are being taken in so beware. Bob

 

[k22fan]

Thanks for the warning Bob. Toyman started a thread on these fake USPS money orders a couple days ago. He was only shown one by his postmaster and you were smart enough to not get taken but no doubt somebody will be too trusting. As long as sellers cash USPS money orders at their P.O. before shipping, I don't think they can get hurt, but even so, having counterfeits floating around will make it harder for the rest of us to conduct business.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Great. I have been paying for them for years now in the vain hope that they were more respectable than personal checks for payments to people. Now I hear they are leary of them as well. You just can't win with thieves. I wish we had a more Arabic approach to dealing with thieves.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I don't use USPS money orders any more. I bought a set of grips on this forum and the payment got lost. It took over 3 months to get my money back plus I had to pay extra for them to investigate it. I now use bank checks personal checks or credit card. It' alright with me if I have to wait for a check to clear their bank. Don

 

[Maximumbob54]

Ugh, I'm not a fan of personal checks either though. I'm always waiting on one or two of them to clear if I accept them. They are such a hold up. I wish more people would just use PayPal. The more I use it, the more I like it.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I will use PayPal and I think it's pretty safe. A lot of people don't like it because it's not gun friendly. What PayPal don't know won't hurt them. Don

 

[Maximumbob54]

I buy everything gun related I can through PayPal just to thumb my nose at them...

I hope they aren't reading this...

 

[Grog]

I've had a few friends get tied up with paypal, some only $500-1000, one had over $5000 locked up and was not able to get to it for over a month. No way am I risking money with them like that.

If I get a USPS MO, I cash it, then ship it.

 

[novalty]

We had a strange one ,although these days NOTHING is much of a suprise anymore. Wife was selling a saddle on a horse type website. People contacted her, wishing to buy . She advised them USPS M/O only. They said no problem.
There was another side to the scam where they wanted to send extra money and then YOU wire it to a third party SHIPPER. So we knew it was a scam, but decided to play along. People sent several USPS M/Os ,and they looked pretty good just wrong paper and little silver "usps" logo instead of holographic type.
Reported it P/O, said they are being flooded with these fake M/O. Lots are being taken in so beware. Bob

Is there a way you could post a photo of it. Might benefit other members.

 

[XAVMECH]

Went to the PO the other day to cash my USPS MO, and they couldn't cash it due to not having enough cash on hand. Sounded like BS, but they're a small PO, and most of their business isn't cash, but CC or DC. So, I figured it was time to open a local bank account (I do most of my banking with an out of state bank - electronically). The local bank I opened an account with is a small but savvy banking system. I got a real education that day regarding MOs, thinking up to that point that the USPS MO was the "gold standard" for the kind of purchases we all make on the Forum. There's actually a USPS phone number that the banks can use to verify these MOs as legitimate. At any rate, I never felt any need to cash these as I received them - whenever I got them I sent out the item I'd sold. Now, they go to the bank first, then I send the item......

 

[novalty]

XAVMECH, I have even been told by my bank a hold may be placed on a USPS MO, and that the funds may not be available immediately. Guessing it is due to this exact issue.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I've had a few friends get tied up with paypal, some only $500-1000, one had over $5000 locked up and was not able to get to it for over a month. No way am I risking money with them like that.

If I get a USPS MO, I cash it, then ship it.

Wow, I like using them, but I won't keep more than a hundred bucks with them at a time. I Xfer anything more than that and see it in days.

 

[GTbob]

PayPal debit card is the way to go. When the money hits my account I withdrawl it right away.

 

[handejector]

USPS Money Orders-

ANY Post Office can verify one for you. They may not have the funds to cash it, but they CAN verify that it is real, and not a STOLEN real one.

 

[quneur]

... There was another side to the scam where they wanted to send extra money and then YOU wire it to a third party SHIPPER...Bob

I say pay them back with a fake USPS MO.

 

[mtgianni]

USPS Money Orders-

ANY Post Office can verify one for you. They may not have the funds to cash it, but they CAN verify that it is real, and not a STOLEN real one.

I was told differently [they refused to verify] in Three Forks, Montana last year, They didn't have enough money to cash $150 USPS MO @ 9:30 AM and would not verify it. When I was asked if I wanted cash back from my debit card, I said yes, $150. They are required to ask that also. I got a dirty look in return.