Utahns warned of money-order scam

The Utah Division of Consumer Protection is warning consumers about a new version of an old scam involving fake U.S. Postal Service money orders.

Division investigators say that a Salt Lake woman was sent $1,900 in fake USPS money orders in return for a $45 dishwasher she was selling through an online classified ad. The buyer told her to fill out the two blank money orders with information that turned out to be fraudulent; deposit the money in her bank account, keeping $100 as a bonus; and then wire the remaining money back to the buyer through Money Gram.

The consumer did not follow those instruction, opting instead to report the scam to the division.