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Home >> Checks/Money Orders >> Money Orders
Are My Money Orders Fraudulent?
I received two USPS money orders for $950 each. They were posted to my account on 10/15/09, and were for mystery shopping, but I'm new to it, and don't know if I'm being scammed. They want me to use Western Union to wire $1550 of the $1900 from the postal money orders to someone else. I'm waiting to make sure this is not a scam. Is there a suggested timeframe to wait to make sure that the funds are good? Is there a timeframe I would have to wait where I would not be liable for funds if they did come back fraudulent?
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 You are being scammed. Here are the things that are so wrong with this situation that it screams "scam":
- No legitimate business would ever pay mystery shoppers with postal money orders.
- No legitimate business would ever send a payment larger than what is owed, expecting that the excess be forwarded to a third party or returned.
- The use of Western Union to send out the excess funds is designed to prevent the bank from detecting that you're being scammed and to eliminate the possibility you'd stop payment.
You can be assured that those money orders are stolen or counterfeit, and that they will be returned by the postal service to your bank. When your bank receives them, it will charge your account. If you've used any part of the $1900, you'll be left with an overdrawn account, and obliged by law to repay your bank.
There is no safe amount of time to wait and escape liability. You'd be liable if the checks come back in two days or two months, or longer. Don't respond to any follow-up calls, emails or other communications asking why you haven't sent the funds out.
Published on BankingQuestions.com 10/29/09
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