I am selling a furniture item over the internet. What type of payment should I accept to eliminate the possibility of accepting a fraudulent cashier's check, check or money order?
You are very wise to be wary of payments you receive for items you sell over the Internet. A USPS money order would be a good form of payment. On U.S. Postal Service money orders, there are specific security features you can check for. A full description is available on the USPS Web site.
A cashier's check drawn on a bank is a reliable form of payment -- if the cashier's check is real and has not been altered. If you request payment via cashier's check, take the check to your bank. Ask them to look up the bank's actual phone number in their bank directory and contact the bank to confirm the item is valid. There may be a small charge for this service. Don't simply call the number on the front of the check -- it is most likely NOT the bank's number, but if the check is bogus, it's probably a number the scammers control.
Also, it's a smart idea to check the Alerts & Counterfeits page on BankersOnline.com. There, you can review the list of institutions reporting counterfeit or stolen money orders, cashier's checks and similar instruments.
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You are very wise to be wary of payments you receive for items you sell over the Internet. A USPS money order would be a good form of payment. On U.S. Postal Service money orders, there are specific security features you can check for. A full description is available on the 