Please be on the lookout for fake USPS money orders.

Mitchell Knives

Mitchell Knives

Knifemaker
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**I just wanted to give everyone a heads up, so please take note of this when accepting payment.**

I've always considered USPS money orders a very safe payment option, and have never had any issues...until now.

Yesterday I received two money orders, and went to the local PO to cash them. The staff knows me pretty well, as I stop by almost every week.

The clerk studied the money order carefully, and informed me that it was fake. (I wasn't sure how to tell if it was fake or not at the time.) She suggested that I take them downtown and let the Postmaster check them.

Another knife maker and I stopped by the main PO this morning and spoke with the Postmaster. He confirmed that the money orders were indeed fake, and explained what to look for.

Real money orders have a very distinct water mark of Ben Franklin on the left hand side. They money orders I received did not have this feature. Otherwise, they looked fine to me.

The Postmaster confiscated the money orders. Luckily, I had not yet mailed out the knives.

According to the Postmaster, counterfeit USPS money orders are rampant. He showed me a stack of them on his desk that he recently received.

Please be careful if you accept money orders!
 
Thanks for the heads up!

Were they from a member here?
 
You never want to just deposit a USPS money order in the bank.
Take it to the post office and cash it there.
Even if it is a really good counterfeit, they check the serial number on their computers to determine the authenticity.
 
Burl Source said:
You never want to just deposit a USPS money order in the bank.
Take it to the post office and cash it there.
Even if it is a really good counterfeit, they check the serial number on their computers to determine the authenticity.
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I'm glad that I took it to the PO first!

Since the water mark was missing, they didn't even bother checking the serial.
 
+1 for post office first, then take the money to the bank or whatever you want to do with it. That way you KNOW you got paid rather than finding out a few days later when the bank's taking back their money.

It's a shame that it happens, but there are scammers everywhere and you just never know. Better to be safe.
 
Pin them to the wall on GBU... sellers and makers alike need to know who is a POS. Since you verified that it is fake.. there is no excuse, the "customer" knew it and will lie like tomorrow to say he/she didn't know. Too late. Stores don't sell fake MOs...

And, Johnathan, when are more knives coming up on the block? :D
 
By far, the most dishonest scamster I've ever had the misfortune of meeting was someone who contacted me through this forum. Which resulted in a bizarre call from the owner of knife company wanting information about someone I'd done some work for (I'll tell y'all all about it at some point in the future). Right here on this forum. The authorities are still mopping up the mess.

There are a lot of scams going around these days. It's the Wild West out there...
 
yup, never mail nothing, till the post office hands you the cash.

I took one to the PO, and they told me it was fake. Then one of the older guys double checked, and said it was just a newer one.


I was pretty freaked out though.

Hopefully you can set the Postal investigators on him. Give them his mailing address. Maybe send him a bait package and nab him when he picks it up.



Nathan the Machinist said:
By far, the most dishonest scamster I've ever had the misfortune of meeting was someone who contacted me through this forum. Which resulted in a bizarre call from the owner of knife company wanting information about someone I'd done some work for (I'll tell y'all all about it at some point in the future). Right here on this forum. The authorities are still mopping up the mess.

There are a lot of scams going around these days. It's the Wild West out there...
Click to expand...


Nathan, I think you handled that situation as best you could. Hopefully you got paid up front for your work though! Hopefully they nailed that guy.
 
Mitchell Knives said:
**
I've always considered USPS money orders a very safe payment option, and have never had any issues
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yesterday I wouldnt have gave a money order from the post office much thought , I have always said that I would take a money order as long as it came from the USPS. Thanks for the heads up.
 
This is scary for a Canuckian. I can't just take it to a USPS office. Sounds like I'll have to talk to my bank and get their advice on what I should do to avoid being stuck with it. I'll probably have to get some sort of clearence notice.
 
Rick Marchand said:
This is scary for a Canuckian. I can't just take it to a USPS office. Sounds like I'll have to talk to my bank and get their advice on what I should do to avoid being stuck with it. I'll probably have to get some sort of clearence notice.
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Yep. You might have to treat it like a personal check and hold the item until you verify payment has cleared.
 
Mitchell Knives said:
Unfortunately, yes.

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I can't see how someone would unknowingly purchase a fake MO.

I'm hoping that it was some how a mistake.
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No way in hell someone gave you a fake postal money order "BY ACCIDENT"!! These people need to be known! I use USPS money orders because they are safe. BECAUSE I GET THEM FROM THE POST OFFICE!! Sorry to hear about your mishap but thats no accident!
 
Rick Marchand said:
This is scary for a Canuckian. I can't just take it to a USPS office. Sounds like I'll have to talk to my bank and get their advice on what I should do to avoid being stuck with it. I'll probably have to get some sort of clearence notice.
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Rick,
I cash Canadian money orders at my local post office all the time. I would think you could do the same and they could forewarn you?
 
Rick Marchand said:
This is scary for a Canuckian. I can't just take it to a USPS office. Sounds like I'll have to talk to my bank and get their advice on what I should do to avoid being stuck with it. I'll probably have to get some sort of clearence notice.
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Not for on International postal money order, that's the beauty of them

Cash in hand on the spot at the post office, before you mail out the order and the post office can't do a charge back to you.


If you get a US postal money order, you have to be in US to cash it


Bank money orders aren't as useful they will just charge it back to you, no loss to the bank.
 
sloth357 said:
Pin them to the wall on GBU... sellers and makers alike need to know who is a POS. Since you verified that it is fake.. there is no excuse, the "customer" knew it and will lie like tomorrow to say he/she didn't know. Too late. Stores don't sell fake MOs...

And, Johnathan, when are more knives coming up on the block? :D
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I spoke with the buyer a few hours ago. He said that he still has the receipt that he received from the PO.

He said that he will be sending another MO.

I'll provide him the contact information for the Postmaster if he has questions.

Stranger things have happened, so I don't think naming them right now is appropriate.

I've done business with this person before, so they get the benefit of the doubt.

And, Johnathan, when are more knives coming up on the block? :D
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New knives are on the way! I accepted a new job a while back, and have been a little tied up with that lately.
 
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I can just see it...

"WOW I'm glad Fairly Knives accepted my fake money order... dang that package is BIG... like refrigerator size! Wow it says Fairly Knives on the side! It smells more like a knifemaker than a knife though? I think I'll open it!"

to be continued...
 
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