Valley woman victimized by fake money order scam
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Eric Fink is on your side with the story. Video by IdahoOnYourSide.com
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Meridian's Megan Ellsworth almost became a vicitm of a desperate scam this week.
Megan, an off-site sales consultant for Scensty, the wickless candle company headquartered in Meridian was about to make more than $200 on one of her first sales this holiday season, when she questioned the authenticity of her client's form of payment.
She received two money orders in the amount of $975 each, nearly 10 times the amount of the sales price.
"If you look at these money orders they look completely legitimate," Ellsworth said. "If you had no idea, you would be like: 'awesome I hit the lottery, I'm going shopping,' and then the bank would come after you because they're counterfeit."
Robb Hicken with the Better Business Bureau says in tough economic times, counterfeit money orders are used in scams across the country.
"This is big business," Hicken said. "We're talking billions of dollars siphoned off from your pockets by a con artist. They're taking advantage of the situation simply because the economy's down."
Ellsworth plans to shread those fake money orders Wednesday night.
"People are desperate right now," Ellsworth said. "They'll do whatever they can to get five cents."
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