"Payment by USPS Money Order Only"

[Alexander-M]

This thread is surprising to me – call me naïve?

I have sold and bought items online on three forums: several years ago on HKPRO (and have an HK93A3 for sale there now), and recently on the OGR (O-Gauge Railroading) forum, and here, Accurate Shooter.

When buying, I have used my personal checks in most cases, but also have used Bank of America certified checks occasionally.

When selling, except for a $3K sale several years ago, when I waited for the money order to clear, I have accepted any type money orders or personal checks. I have never been stiffed – thank God.

Recently, I have sold more items to members of this forum than anywhere, anytime, and payments have been prompt and trouble free. These transactions have been under $200, and about half have been money orders, and half personal checks. I ship the items I sell as soon as I receive the payments, and a few times before I received the payment.

• Honestly, I just cannot imagine anyone in the Accurate Shooter forum sending me a false payment.

Q: Would buyers feel more comfortable if they could pay me using PayPal? If so, I imagine I could setup whatever is necessary to accept PayPal payments if it made it more convenient for my customers.

Thank you for your advice.

Nando

 

[CJ6]

Yah know with all this "which payment is better stuff" Let's not forget those who ship "ON YOU WORD" . I Hope/Pray whomever screws with these trusting few a VERY AGONIZING FATE.

 

[Duster_360]

........Buying USPS money orders is quite simple, start an online account with USPS and buy online. The same holds true for the shipping individual. Pack it, weigh it, and ship it right from your home.

I use Click-n-Ship a lot so I have an account, but when I start looking around to purchase a MO, I find no option to purchase one even though I am signed on and in my account. Is a Click-n-Ship account different than the account needed to buy a USPS MO online? Sorry, but from where I am, I don't see it. Would gladly go this way if I knew how.....suspect you'd help more than one if you'd clarify the process of buying a USPS MO online......


Nando - Adding PP would provide another option for your buyers. In using PP for years, its always been safe and secure for me. It basically provides a ready way to pay almost instantly and cuts the waiting time and lost mail problems (been there, done that more than once, thanks USPS). Of all the options discussed in this thread, I usually go with PP.

I'm a Chase Bank customer, over 25yrs, and they have something called ChasePay that's an account to account transfer. You do not share info, after being setup, you request Seller's email (been a while since I used it, believe this is correct) and Chase does the rest. Buyer gets a email on the transaction. This was by far the easiest thing I've done. Haven't done it to someone at a different bank, but have been told that it can be done. I've used other banks instant transfers and these are slick and quick as well, but require more setup. Banks typically offer this as a service and the several times I've done one, there were no fees.

 

[bronco_buster]

I do a lot more buying than selling but prefer USPS MO for the reason stated above; Fraud related to their use is serious federal crime, thoroughly investigated by their inspectors and FBI.

Have you ever been scammed with a USPS money order? I can assure you through personal experience that the FBI is going to have zero interest in 99% of cases that are transacted on firearms forums. I've had 3 terrible experiences with money orders from the post office and I actually prefer NOT to receive them.

I was scammed out of about $800 four years ago. I contacted the post master and his response was "call the police" in that individual's home town. I didn't receive a full SWAT team response, I didn't get a black chopper full of USPS special forces commandos to raid his residence, nor did I have a full legion of Secret Service or FBI agents spring into action and arrest the dude.

I got a government employee, doing the bare minimum and was advised of the heaps of paperwork that I would need to fill out if I wanted to pursue legal action. But the bottom line was "we're not the cops." Now maybe if he had forged a money order for $500000 to me or something insane like that, but at the level most of us deal with on a forum...a tactical response isn't happening. This feeling that there are dire consequences for USPS money order fraud is BS.

The other crappy part of a money order from the USPS is the 90 day wait when they go missing. I held a pair of rings for 3 months for a guy waiting for him to get his refund of a lost money order. After the wait, he said he found a pair in the interim and didn't need mine anymore. I lost money because they went out of vogue in the meantime. So I had to eat a few bucks.

And don't get me started on the USPS "tracking." The pleasure of feeling what its like to see their tracking system mark "delivered" when you're waiting on your $3000 money order when nothing has shown up is like a tabasco enema. Again, enter the government employee for the following fun exchange:
Me: "My money order shows its been delivered but it wasn't"
USPS: "Its showing that it was delivered."
Me: "But it wasn't delivered"
USPS: "Let me check with the letter carrier and give you a call back"
Me: (Calling back in 2 hours since I wasn't called) "What did he say?"
USPS: "He thinks it was delivered, and its marked delivered, so maybe someone stole it from your mailbox"
Me: (Thinking WTF??? I don't live in the hood, and its not like the envelope was marked 'big bucks inside') "I doubt it"
USPS: "We recommend you call your local police department and file a report, if it goes missing the sender can submit a lost USPS MO form" [hence another 90 day wait!!]

Ultimately, I tracked the money order down by figuring out that in my city only one other address had my four digits on a different street name...guess what? My money order envelope had been received by them. I guess the mistake was understandable since my name sounds pretty American'ish and his was clearly Indian, and the streets were completely different.

But yeah, I've got complete faith in the US Postal Service...
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/08/ohio-postal-worker-dumps-mail-in-trash/13764157/

 

[ryanjay11]

There"s also one other Great American option, if you don't want to get a USPS Money Order, buy the item somewhere else.

I agree 100%. If you don't like the sellers conditions, don't say those magic words.

 

[DennisH]

The women at my closest post office tell me they see counterfeit USPS money orders every day of the week.

I sold a 4 wheeler for $9,100 and took a money order for it. I was the happiest man on earth when I sold the 4 wheeler.

I took the money order to the bank, I couldn't cash it, nor would the funds would show up in my account until about the 15th working day.

Of course I asked all the questions. Same answer from everyone.

The bank told me Cashier's Check's are just abut worthless these days. The safest however are through the Post Office. Now I want cash, but you need to carry one of those pens around with you so you can check the cash.

JMO

 

[Ghansen]

This thread is surprising to me – call me naïve?

I have sold and bought items online on three forums: several years ago on HKPRO (and have an HK93A3 for sale there now), and recently on the OGR (O-Gauge Railroading) forum, and here, Accurate Shooter.

When buying, I have used my personal checks in most cases, but also have used Bank of America certified checks occasionally.

When selling, except for a $3K sale several years ago, when I waited for the money order to clear, I have accepted any type money orders or personal checks. I have never been stiffed – thank God.

Recently, I have sold more items to members of this forum than anywhere, anytime, and payments have been prompt and trouble free. These transactions have been under $200, and about half have been money orders, and half personal checks. I ship the items I sell as soon as I receive the payments, and a few times before I received the payment.

• Honestly, I just cannot imagine anyone in the Accurate Shooter forum sending me a false payment.

Q: Would buyers feel more comfortable if they could pay me using PayPal? If so, I imagine I could setup whatever is necessary to accept PayPal payments if it made it more convenient for my customers.

Thank you for your advice.

Nando

PayPal is a "Binary Monetary Medium", you provide and verify your financial details where they are kept hidden from other parties, and the other party has done the same. There is a fee per transaction unless you use the gift method, but for the buyer/seller protection I am well happy for that as I have felt a sting from the old trusted sources, even direct bank transfer where the account holder used fake ID to open the account (they took a heap of bogus transactions in less than a week). Also I would add, that I wouldn't take notice PayPal's "anti" political view on anything. Doesn't come into my transaction at all whatever they think. Didn't even know they had a bias. Change your passwords where it matters regularly folks, hackers are even broadcasting baby cams. Cash was so good wasn't it?

 

[d.id]

I am guilty of asking for usps M.O.s only because :
A: I can cash it at the same time I'm shipping it out (I do go to the post office) minimal line.
B: If someone on the other side of the country sends me one from there local grocery store or bank I have to wait for it to clear my account just like a personal check, delaying the shipping for an uncomfortable length of time.
Cost office still has not given me counterfeit anything and if the MO sent to me is shady I'll find out about it before Item leaves my possession.
Wallmart and paypal are both politically compromised so I'd rather not use them anymore than I have to.

 

[deadwooddick]

I request USPS money orders. The reason is that they all look exactly the same, no matter where they were purchased and are easily verifiable.

FWIW, Sectional centers and the larger PO facilities use a machine printed two part MO. Smaller POs in remote areas are still using the "antique" 4 leaf version, where the issuing branch keeps one of the leaves.

 

[gtl1946]

I'm sorry but I'm tired of what's better a Postal MO/Bank MO/Cashiers check etc as most of you have faulty info. AND IF you think those organizations are going to send out the FBI to find the crook who screwed you out of your "$50" IT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN !!!!! On this site we work on honor . I've had people here send me the item BEFORE the $'s even got there i.e marcusp323. When I see Postal MO's only I usually don't bother because with my track record on this forum WHY would I want CROOK placed in my listing . I'm sorry but quit being paranoid on this site . If you have a bad feeling about buying/selling ----- THEN DON"T. You'd honestly have to have to hire a lawyer and take the party to court - worth it ??????? Deal in faith OR don't deal . To all of you who have dealt with me in faith - THANK YOU !!!!!

 

[d.id]

I do deal in faith.
Have sent out before receiving funds many times, because I expected an honorable transaction based on for-knowledge of the individual I was dealing with.
Also had folks send me items before they received my funds and it always surprised me.
.
In all the dealings, from all the sites I have done: I only had three problems. An auction on GB,
they waived auction fees when the buyer backed out after the check had bean in the mail for two weeks. Re-listed my colt and sold it for a few hundred more the following week. Don't sell handguns to lawyers from texas anymore regardless of weather or not the sights are original.
One defective or damaged scope from here (I think) and one in a local classifieds, Both great brands that stood behind there product and sent me new ones.
.
Should I not deal? Because a couple out of a couple thousand where not totally square?
Should I assume everyone is an evil lecturus hump?.......... That would be foolish obviously.
Should I then assume everyone thinks there name is valuable and needs to maintain it's honor or that no one that interacts with me on the internet would try to take me for a ride to get something for nothing?..........That would be plain stupid.
.
My own conclusion for internet transaction or life in general: Treat folks like you would like to be treated AND always protect yourself........... There is no conflict between those two perspectives.

 

[blairf]

I agree 100%. My local PO is horrible ! The line is ordinarily 25-30 deep and nearly an hour to make it through. I too just avoid the place.

Why not just wire transfer the funds ?

Wire transfers cost $15 to $50 depending on where you get them. There is some risk to wire transfer in that you have to give each other your bank info. I sometimes deal in large amounts of cash for my business so I set up a special account for wire transfers that I keep empty. Thus if I give someone the info and instead of transferring money in like we agreed, he turns out to be a scammer and tries to transfer money out, there is nothing there. I recommend the same for anyone who does wire transfers frequently. --Jerry

I too transfer a fair amount in and out of accounts. Great advice on the special account. My bank charges a flat fee of $15 for all wire transfers. I am not suggesting that you wire transfer fees for all transactions - just the larger ones. Very simple and protected.

 

[DennisH]

My only point: My bank put a hold on my PSMO for 10 days. Reason stated: Their being counterfeited all over the country. I took a $9,100 Postal Money Order. I asked the clerk, Basically their worthless now. She stated their now handled just like a check.

I already handed over the goods and all OMV paperwork signed and notarized. If the PMO was bad that I received, I would have had a big headache on my hands. I had no idea they were being counterfeited.

Money counterfeiting is bad in my area. People are now checking $1, $5, and up. I asked them why they are checking $1.00's? Because their counterfeiting them also.