Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds Be careful with Money Orders from anywhere but USPS

I even feel realy bad posting this after all the slap bitch jawing going on over a "bad guy list" proposal thread but this is just a warning. Watch out for counterfit MOs, use US Postal Service Money Orders Only (this was always my rule but I gave in and accepted something else). FYI - I also had to spend quit a bit of time explaining where this came from and how I got it.

I recieved a supposed Money Order in the mail on Saturday. This was for the sale of a rifle.

The rifle was claimed via email and was not from this forum, no user name appeared in the email just that this person wanted to purchase my rifle and sent me a copy of the FFL via email and sent the MO. I did not sell or list this rifle here so no bad blood here against anyone except maybe on my end because it is going to cause me a serious set back in a purchase I had planned here. I know which site and from whom it came from and it is being handled correctly, by the correct people. Hopefully, the rifle will be sent back before the transfer is complete but I do not know yet.

I want to pubilicly apoligize to srconnell22 and hope that there is no hard feelings. I do not get paid until the 1st of March and would have to wait until then to make good on our deal and if he is willing to wait until then the transaction will go through as planned. I can not send funds I do not have and I really thought, with money order in hand, I had said funds.

I will say, I have never, NEVER welched on any deal, I came here from Snipers Hide where I have well over 1100 post and a flawless transaction record. I came here looking for a stock, which I found here and have had several very good transactions since.

This is in no way a pity party or feel bad for Brian thread as I take the risk and know the risk. This is to pass along, be aware of where you take money orders from.

Now I see why a seller I dealt with insisted that my bank MO clear his bank before he shipped the rifle. Can you contact the FFL for any information on the buyer?
John

The irony here, I have seen posts in the past about not supporting company XYZ because they do not support gun rights. The USPS does not support our CC rights, yet so many of us demand payment from a USPS MO. Makes no sense. I would never demand a USPS MO for payment, any MO stands a chance of fraud. I refuse to support the USPS because I find them to be just about worthless. I just find the irony here a bit odd. Sorry for your experience, hope things work out for your deal.

Brent

I just always make sure the check will cash and there is no issue. Our tellers confirm them on the spot by calling the banks and confirmation #'s so I see no real risk unless you ship before funds are verified.

From what my FFL has told me. If any fraud was done during the transaction. (being a long gun, or pistol it's a felony not taken lightly by the BATF) They will prosecute the person. Also if you get intouch with the FFL on the other end he doesn't have to give the gun to the person who commited the fraud. I would check into all of this ASAP.

Just my thoughts

If I get a money order or cashiers check I look up the bank number under google speak to a bank employee at that number and verify that the check is legit, takes all of 10 minutes...not paranoid just paying it safe

Just FYI, the last time I cashed a MO at my bank the teller advised me that they had recently seen more counterfeit USPS MO's lately than anything else. She showed me one, and it sure looked legit too me.

I have to agree with raamw, if I get a MO from a bank I typically call and just verify, never had a problem, but that's not too say I won't.

I too would contact the receiving FFL and advise them the funds were bogus, and that you will be contacting the ATF. They may be very helpful in getting the firearm returned. If you sent the firearm via UPS and it has NOT arrived yet, you can go to the website and intercept the package as well.

[quote=PSH]Just FYI, the last time I cashed a MO at my bank the teller advised me that they had recently seen more counterfeit USPS MO's lately than anything else. She showed me one, and it sure looked legit too me.

Yeah, I had my bank tell me the same thing. And asked if I knew the person that I got it from. But I deal with some pretty good guys on here. And like most have said, this site is good for rooting out the dirt balls, and is self governing. So I have no issues with the members on here. They always come thru, and look out for the shady scammers.

From what my FFL has told me. If any fraud was done during the transaction. (being a long gun, or pistol it's a felony not taken lightly by the BATF)

I can tell you this the BATF will do jack [bleep] about fraud on a transaction. Even local PD will do nothing for you, best thing you can do if you get a USPS money order is to cash it at the post office, they can check right there to see if its good.

No worries on my end man, you don't owe me any apologies...sh*t happens to good people. Hope it all works out for you and you get your rifle back.

You've been waiting three years to find this scope, a week isn't going to kill me.

Just a note, anything can be counterfeited.

It doesn't take near as long as it used to for checks to clear. I really think demanding a USPS Money order is silly.

One of the tellers at my bank told me they get on average 2-3 fraudulent USPS money orders every day and I go to little bank.

the reason for usps money orders is,you can go to any usps and have them verify the MO is legit.

My Credit Union no longer accept US Postal Money Orders for deposit. I thought they to be legal tender & the banks would have to accept them by law? What say ye?

a number of years back there was a big scam with a bunch of worthless postal service money orders and by now we would like to think that wouldnt happen anylonger but who knows whos who any longer.

Sorry ya got burned Brian, Don't let it stop ya from finding the good in people.

Both of our local post offices don't have the ability to do this. Pisses me off - they are no better than a personal check, need to just let them clear the bank.

Discreet Paypal gift is by far the quickest and easiest way to get around this. No fees on either end if the buyer isn't using a credit card.

I just paid for a gun using a Key Bank cashiers check as I get them free from Key Private Bank. The seller took the check into a Key Bank in California and they claimed they didn't recognize it so he had to wait for it to clear. Wish everyone just had paypal.

From what I've read, fraud is even worse with Paypal because of the way Paypal operates (e.g., you may see the funds that were transferred into your account one day and think everything is good but then the funds can be gone the next day). Add to that your total lack of protection on firearm-related transactions because those are forbidden by Paypal rules, so using Paypal appears to be WORSE, not better, for a seller trying to protect himself from fraud. From the buyer's perspective, a Paypal "gift" is a gift to the seller, so the buyer doesn't have any recourse through Paypal if the deal goes bad.

Here is link to a webpage on the USPS web site that indicates how to spot a fake/fraudulent USPS money order AND the phone number to call to verify a money order.

USPS guidance on detecting a fraudulent money order

I have always accepted checks, if it was over a certain amount I would wait for it to clear my bank. I don't see charging someone a extra 1.20 and the hassle to get a USPS MO when they can send a check. Just my opinion though. When I send a personal check I don't mind if the person waits for it to clear just the way it is.