I often buy and sell lawn/garden items, truck parts, some traps in the Lancaster Farming News. With subscription I get 2 free ads per month.
I advertised a Craftsman Snowblower, 10 hp two stage 30inch wide for 150.00. I get a call then a text from a guy that says he wants the snowblower and will send a money order to hold it until he can pick it up. He texts me the next day saying the money order will be 995.00. He asked me to cash it, take my 150.00 then he is sending a hauler that will take the rest of the cash. The buyer told me he is relocating and is picking up several item s in different areas. I told him I would go to the bank Wednesday.

The Ad was in the paper last weekend and money order dated 9-30-2022

Going to the post office Monday to confirm Bogus money order. Spoke to a PA State Trooper tonight over the phone. Came him the phone number and pix.

Anyone else ever have this nonsense happen? Kinds creeps me out

Yes. I was selling a chevy pick up for 600 bucks. Got a text that this guy wants it bad and he will send a check, but he can't get it till next week (broken english). Coming from ID to pick it up. Thought he was illiterate at first. I get the check and its from FL. Check is for something like 1327.54. In the letter it says to cash the check, send the remaining money his way, and he will be by for the truck soon. I had never been scammed before so i ask my wife/girlfriend at the time, what should I do. She says "Cash It!". I was more skeptical and did some research. After I found out it was bogus I continued the text chain. He threatened me with calling the cops and I was the scam, etc. Then I just let him have a piece of my mind.

Really is sick how much scamming happens, especially to the elderly

Just checked for watermark against a light, BOGUS. I would like to set this guy up and tell him "I have the cash and snowblower ready, come and get it."
Have a cop at stashed behind my house would be great. My luck the cop would not show and I would have to light him up with my Glock.
Waiting for suggestion from Trooper....

Since y’all haven’t been scammed before, beware of the Nigerian Prince that’s giving you a bunch of money for a $200 Walmart Card.

From what I've heard, since that's a copy of a postal money order, the Post Office will actually investigate and agreesively prosecute the person who sent it.

Keith

Small world ! I went to school there and a buddy of mine lives about a mile from that address -do you want me call him and tell him to knock on the door pretending to be delivering a snowblower from Pennsylvania ? Lol .

That is an actual mailing address . I’m assuming that the person trying to get you to cash the check would not use there actual name and address as on the check tho- hence the reason for saying that they are in the process of moving? I guess I’m not sure either exactly how these scam work but somthing definitely smells fishy to me.
Let us know what you find out!

Guys, you can check the validity of money orders online. This is what I use to check all the money orders as soon as I get them. Panaxman, it's a definite scam. What is going to happen is that you will be on the hook for the fraudulent money order.

https://tools.usps.com/money-orders.htm

I already checked it and it's fake.

Understandable and I agree it definitely is a fake - but what I don’t get is why would the post office cash the check if it’s not valid and it is that easy to check? Why Wouldn’t they just decline it at that point? I have always accepted money orders as a form of payment however I don’t ship until I cash the check. I was told they are a safe form of payment but perhaps it still has some risk ? Hmmmm…

You can cash postal money orders at places besides the post office.

What happens if you cash it?

It will bounce and to ad insult to injury, most banks will charge you a fee for taking a fraudulent money order.

Keith

Never gotten a money order scam sent yet, but I've gotten a pile of fake cashier's checks over the years. They are easy to spot. Eventually I started giving my name as Homer Simpson, Al Bundy, Angus McGuyver, etc. I've got a whole stack of cashier checks made out to TV stars. Eventually I got bored and started giving the name and address of my local sheriff or State Attorney General.

Thanks MattLA, I appreciate your feedback. I checked against a light and there is no Ben Franklin watermark. I will see if the state police want to pursue it. I will let you all know what they say.

Postal money orders scams are a federal offense, both the fake money order and I assume it was sent thought the US mail service. See your Postmaster general.

General rule of thumb........anytime anyone offers you any form of payment that is more than you need, with instructions to cash it and return the overage to them, it's a scam. One of the oldest there is.

Another tell its a scam is when you don't go for their pitch and they accuse you of being the scammer.

Have had some hilarious attempts made on some craigslist stuff.