Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Fake Money Orders

You've got to admit these postal money orders look real.

"We’re looking at $350,000," U.S. Postal Inspector Kevin McDonough said about a stack of postal money orders.

All were mailed to the U.S. from Nigeria; the problem is postal inspectors know, every one of them is fake.

Meisha Williams got $5000 worth from South Africa as a deposit from a potential roommate.

"They honestly looked real," Williams said.

Then the ‘roommate’ emailed Meisha saying that her sister had been in an accident. She told Meisha to cash the money orders and wire her back the money.

"I wouldn't have taken a second thought until Western Union called saying they weren’t real," Williams said.

And victims soon find out that if you cash a counterfeit, you're responsible.

"Bottom line is you will be left holding the bag financially and also subjecting yourself to criminal and civil penalties," McDonough said.

Williams was enraged.

"I was very furious, I was very angry," Williams said.

And the post office, protecting its customers and its good name, wants to make sure you're not the next victim.

"I thought the best way to do that would be through you," McDonough said.

So all of you who advertise your cars for sale or search for a roommate online, listen up: you're all potential targets.

"Many of them are college students and many of them don’t have the savings that can sustain large losses and they are getting duped," McDonough said.

If you get a money order as payment, heed the wise words of the postal gurus.

"Don’t offer to cash anyone’s money order, don’t offer to cash anyone’s check, unless they know who they’re dealing with, and they know the person personally," McDonough said.

Bad guys might suggest you cash the orders in a bank, because they know the folks in your local post office can spot the bogus ones. Postal workers are trained to spot fake ones.

If you think you've gotten funny money, call the postal inspectors. They’ll check your checks and deliver the bottom line.

"The losses are increasing exponentially and that’s why we're trying to get the word out," McDonough said.

For more information on counterfeit money orders and advice from the United States Postal Inspection Service, check the websites listed below.

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/not299.pdf

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/moalert.htm

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