eBay Question.... Odd Situation...UPDATE pg. 2

[toystoryduo]

Two weeks ago, a buyer won an auction from me for $15.00 even. He e-mailed me and told me that a money order was on the way. Well, the money order arrived last Monday and it was made out for $46.83! I immediately e-mailed the customer to let them know about the mix-up and have e-mailed him twice since and have gotten no response. I'm not sure what I should do at this point. I've thought about going ahead and cashing the money order, sending him a check for the difference (via signature delivery) and mailing out his item. I'm really not sure what to do. What do you think?

 

[mrskay9]

Urg, good luck with that. I wish I knew what to tell you. just be careful, whatever you decide. And document everything.

 

[HayGan]

What kind of MO is it? There has been quite a bit of fraud lately with MO payments. If it is a postal MO, I would take it to the post office and cash it. I would then purchase another postal MO (minus the cost of the MO) and send it with your item.

If it is not a postal MO, I would send them a final e-mail (thru ebay) stating that you have received a MO for the incorrect amount and will return it to them and request an MO with the proper amount.

 

[toystoryduo]

What kind of MO is it? There has been quite a bit of fraud lately with MO payments. If it is a postal MO, I would take it to the post office and cash it. I would then purchase another postal MO (minus the cost of the MO) and send it with your item.

If it is not a postal MO, I would send them a final e-mail (thru ebay) stating that you have received a MO for the incorrect amount and will return it to them and request an MO with the proper amount.

It's an MO from a credit union and is a Traveler's Express Money Order. I like your suggestion of the e-mail and mailing it back to the customer. Would you use a signature confirmation or another means of delivery to ensure that the customer receives it? Thanks!

 

[toystoryduo]

Also wanted to ask.... any thoughts on whether or not we should call the buyer?

 

[nicknamy1996]

Yea, that's an odd one. First thought, I would DEFINITELY cash it before sending them any money, in case of fraud???

But you know what I'd do first... Do a "buyer search" for the winning bidder and see if they won something else in the last couple of days for the other amount. Could just be that they mailed you the wrong money order. You still have to worry about the fix, but at least you'd know it's on the up and up.

Was the money order made out to you or to cash?

 

[toystoryduo]

Yea, that's an odd one. First thought, I would DEFINITELY cash it before sending them any money, in case of fraud???

But you know what I'd do first... Do a "buyer search" for the winning bidder and see if they won something else in the last couple of days for the other amount. Could just be that they mailed you the wrong money order. You still have to worry about the fix, but at least you'd know it's on the up and up.

Was the money order made out to you or to cash?

The money order was made out to us, not cash. I'm not sure I understand what you mean about cashing it first before sending them money.

Also, can someone explain what kind of money order fraud has been going on with eBay? Are most people not accepting money orders anymore because of this? I hadn't heard that there was a problem with this.

 

[HayGan]

The money order was made out to us, not cash. I'm not sure I understand what you mean about cashing it first before sending them money.

Also, can someone explain what kind of money order fraud has been going on with eBay? Are most people not accepting money orders anymore because of this? I hadn't heard that there was a problem with this.

There have been so many cases of people receiving fraudulent money orders. You cash it and then several days later it is returned as a fraud. I now only accept postal money orders and paypal as method of payment because of all the fraud going on.

You may want to consider calling the buyer. I would just be very leary of cashing it and then sending him the difference (since it isn't a MO that can be verified instantly.)

 

[waspnest]

Beware of phony money orders! - April 29, 2005
Over the past four years, Clark has gotten lots of phone calls about phony cashier’s check scams. But over the past four months, those calls have been replaced by questions about a new counterfeit scam that has taken its place. Starting about Thanksgiving of last year, calls started coming into the show about phony money orders. Basically, criminals are using phony money orders to buy items through classified ads, on eBay and from retailers, and the phony forms look perfect. The New York Times published a comparison graphic recently that showed a legitimate USPS money order next to a fake one and they looked exactly the same. The reason cashier’s checks and money orders are so popular with criminals is that they haven’t changed much over recent decades. We need some type of electronic verification with these services before more people get taken.

Clark Howard site

The deal with phony cashier's checks or money orders is that you get the money order, send the product, then the money order turns out to be phony (and in the case of cashier's checks it can take weeks to find this out), then you don't have the money OR the product.

But another scam that happens (usually bigger ticket items, though) is that they'll send a check or money order for too much (like the OP has received), then ask you to send a check for the difference along with the product. Then when the check or money order bounces, you're out the product *plus* the extra money you sent back to them.

Be careful.

 

[ceecee]

Call the buyer and ask what they would like you to do. I would think he won two auctions and got the payments mixed up. The easiest thing since it's an overpay would be to cash it send the difference (minus mo fee) with the item. I would definately call first though.

 

[lbgraves]

You need to wait for a money order to clear your bank just like a check. It can be returned if it is a fake or has had a stop pay put on it. I also only accepted USPS MOs since they can be cashed right at the PO. The same thing can happen with Cashier checks so beware! If you cash it, wait the 10 business days at least to make sure your bank doesn't get it back.

 

[wendyl]

I'll bet you anything that he purchased two items around the same time and simply mixed the two prices up. I have had a customer do this. Do an advanced search--click on items by bidder--and then enter his user name (make sure to check the block that says to search completed items). You will be able to see what else he purchased at around the same time as your auction--and I'll bet you'll find one for that price or just under (since the money order no doubt included shipping). That might help "solve the mystery".

I would wait to hear back from him before cashing it or mailing it back

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It's an MO from a credit union and is a Traveler's Express Money Order. I like your suggestion of the e-mail and mailing it back to the customer. Would you use a signature confirmation or another means of delivery to ensure that the customer receives it? Thanks!

Do a search yourself for either the specific Credit Union and/or Traveler's Express. Contact them directly to find out if the order is valid. Since you have the serial number on the order they can see if it was properly issued.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Yes call the place it was issued from directly, I was scammed with a phoney MO and was almost out over $1,000. Don't deposit it since you may be charged a returned check fee. Call the company direct.

 

[ceecee]

I did hear Clark Howard on the radio about this and he said they tend to be rather large money orders which should be a red flag because money orders cannot be over $500.00. My mom rents a house and the previous renter used to pay with 2 MOs because they wouldn't issue one for the entire amount.

 

[disneymagic02]

I work at a credit union and there is fraud going on with money orders and some have been Postal money orders, I would not cash the money order at all, send him a letter with the money order back, you still have your item the only thing you risk is a negative comment but if you cash it at your bank/credit union then you are responsible for paying the money back not the person who sent it to you. Just some info.

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks for your advice everyone! I appreciate it!

My husband is going to give the customer a call today and see if we can get a response. If no response, then we will probably mail the money order back to him.

By the way, I did check auctions that he won about the same time as ours and one was for $46.83! So, I guess he accidentally switched the money orders when he mailed them out. The thing is... I'm sure the other seller has been e-mailing him about the situation as well. I can not understand why he is not responding to our e-mails. Oh well... We'll call him today and see what happens.

Thanks everyone!

 

[wendyl]

Thanks for your advice everyone! I appreciate it!

My husband is going to give the customer a call today and see if we can get a response. If no response, then we will probably mail the money order back to him.

By the way, I did check auctions that he won about the same time as ours and one was for $46.83! So, I guess he accidentally switched the money orders when he mailed them out. The thing is... I'm sure the other seller has been e-mailing him about the situation as well. I can not understand why he is not responding to our e-mails. Oh well... We'll call him today and see what happens.

Thanks everyone!

I KNEW that's what it was----it didn't make sense that someone would attempt a big fraud money order for something so small and for an amount so vastly different than what it was supposed to be.

Glad the mystery was solved. I'm sure he'll email within a couple of days. Some people don't check email often (hard for me to understand because I'm addicted--but I guess alot of people aren't).

 

[toystoryduo]

Update...

We spoke with the buyer last night and he is mailing a money order for the correct amount to us. Once we receive it, we will mail him the other money order back with the item he won. Do you think we should send the MO separately with a signature confirmation? Thanks!

 

[HayGan]

Update...

We spoke with the buyer last night and he is mailing a money order for the correct amount to us. Once we receive it, we will mail him the other money order back with the item he won. Do you think we should send the MO separately with a signature confirmation? Thanks!

No, just get delivery confirm on your package.