WTB Money Order Risk

[treillw]

I'm new to purchasing things over the internet. Is there any risk associated with sending somebody a money order before the item is shipped? What is the likelihood of being able to get your money back if something goes awry?

Thank you.

 

[GMC]

I usually send them as a certified letter so we have tracking info. I've only had one issue in the 25 or so times I've used this method. Most recent also I believe. The gentleman couldn't pick the item up right away and the PO actually sent it back to me. I then sent it back regular mail and there was no issue!

 

[Rob5589]

I have sent and accepted usps money orders many times without an issue. That said, a money order really is to protect the recipient, not the sender. I asked about recovery on a usps money order in case of a deal gone bad and the reply was, "extremely difficult and time consuming."

 

[Vandy321]

M/O's are certified (at least the USPS ones are). They are refundable if lost and create a record of payment when the individual cashes or deposits it. If you have documentation of the terms of the deal on text or this forum, I'd say you are pretty well covered. But should they decide not to send you an item, you're only real action, as far as I know, is small claims court, pain in the ass.

When in doubt, ask for refs from previous sales...or no offense to rokslide (no real feedback system), but find that individual on another outdoor forum and look at their feedback.

I've bought and sold a good ammount of stuff from $50 pants to multiple thousand dollar firearms, never an issue. For stuff above about $1500 or so I always try and do a money transfer and a bill of sale with copies of DL's.

 

[Bubblehide]

If a seller did not have another legitimate method of accepting payment that had direct protections for me as the purchaser, I simply would not purchase from them. With today's day and age of all the different consumer protected electronic methods of payment and accepting payment, there is simply no excuse. Just MNSHO.

 

[Vandy321]

PayPal won't cover firearms or firearm related items...just a heads up.

 

[TomAZ]

PayPal won't cover firearms or firearm related items...just a heads up.

Exactly. Without some sort of escrow service, there isn’t much protection for firearms purchases that I know of.



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[notchfir3]

I have sent Money Order to a seller who send me a scope that wasn't in the condition he promised. i called his local Postal inspector and he was arrested, refunded my Money and did community service.

i sent a Money Order to seller on snipers hide, the scope fell off and the glass got scratched. he returned the MO and apologized. i am Okay send Money Order to seller because i know they can't run away. I trust the system.

 

[dutch84]

I got burned for the first time with a money order last fall. There are things the postal service can do, but it takes time and in the end nothing happened anyways for me. The postal service issued a fraud against the person, and after that they said the person did not exist. They sent me a copy of the cashed money order. I asked how it got cashed if the person "did not exist", because they are supposed to show ID. Then they told me that money orders are like cash and once cashed, it is near impossible to get back. So I just took my loss and will not send another money order ever. I am sure there are lots of honest people out there and I have never had problems with the other money orders I have sent (it has been a lot). But to just loose your money, never again.