i know what the original question was. i was just citing an examplie pointing out that one of the things considered most secure is being faked regularly. and the $1200 i mentioned did have to come in 2 money orders because of the limit. i wasn't trying to advise insisting on postal money orders.
i've never had the PO ask for my SSN to sell me a money order so that sounds weird. for any amount much over $1k a postal money order isn't really an option.
if it's a fake, when it gets back to the supposed issuing institution they of course won't honor it and it'll come all the way back thru to you. if your bank has for whatever reason allowed access to those funds they're gonna want them back and you know where they'll go to get them. if you've already shipped the gun you've got nothing. that's why you wait.
