The United States Postal Inspection Service offers the following tips to keep both customers and business owners from becoming victims of postal money order scams:
Tips for postal customers
- Be skeptical of anyone asking you to wire money to overseas bank accounts, or to cash money orders or checks, on their behalf.
- Know who you're dealing with--never give out personal or financial information to anyone you don't know.
- Familiarize yourself with postal money order security features.
- Never wire funds to anyone unless you're sure the money order or check they gave you was cleared by your bank and the funds released.
Tips for business owners
- Never accept money orders or checks for more than the selling price.
- Never agree to wire funds to a buyer--legitimate buyers won't pressure you to do so, and you have limited recourse if there's a problem.
- Resist pressure to "act now." If the buyer's offer is good now, it will be good when the check or money order clears.
