Are USPS money orders good as cash?

[historicfirearms]

I've been trying to sell a certain item lately and everybody wants to pay by USPS mo. Fine, but when I tell them I will have to hold the item until the money order clears in my bank, they back out of the deal. One guy even wants to pay by money order if we meet in person.

After all the scam stories I've read about fake money orders, I'm pretty cautious about accepting them as cash. Sometimes my post office will cash them if they have enough cash in the till. Other than that is there a way to make sure a money order is legit? My bank said they can not tell until it runs through their system like a personal check.

[imashooter2]

I cash them at the PO before I put the package in the mail. So in that sense they are as good as cash to me. In a face to face deal, I would not take a money order. Cash only please. I don't much care for checks either personal or cashier's.

[GRUMPA]

I get a lot of USPS money orders and because of where I live.....I prefer it that way. I have never gotten a bad USPS money order yet, and don't want to either. When I venture into town I can cash them at my bank without a hassle. Other money orders on the other hand I have to deposit so the bank can poke along and make sure they are good. Town with my bank is a 2 1/2hr round trip, the town with the Post Office is a 1 1/2hr trip, now you know why.

As far as good as cash though......

They are to a point so long as where you take them cashes them. Seems everyone is worried about getting forged money orders with all the scammers out there, and I can't blame them 1 bit.

Those USPS money orders come with a few security features like the Holographic image of Ben Franklin that a person can see if held up to a light. Another is the security strip that's plane as day that is embossed on the money order. Even "IF" I did a FTF and the person brought a USPS money order I would look for the security features and if that passed I would take it. I know some folks just don't like to carry cash, I'm 1 of them.....

[Bonz]

My bank will cash them but can not verify them as 'good' for up to 7 days. My local post office is a 'commute' from my house and they don't like to cash the big USPS money orders because it drains their cash.

[oneokie]

If your P.O. will not cash a USPS money order, you need to start complaining to the higher ups. Loudly and often.

[500MAG]

I have always taken them as cash but imashooter2 has a great point, cash it and ship the item at the same time.

[historicfirearms]

My bank will cash them but can not verify them as 'good' for up to 7 days. My local post office is a 'commute' from my house and they don't like to cash the big USPS money orders because it drains their cash.
I'm in the same situation.

[Bad Water Bill]

I find it interesting that the USPS can enter the M O # and know immediately if it is good or not.

2 years ago I wanted to know if a M O had been cashed yet.

Cost me $5.00 and all but my sealed military records.

Well that was 2 years ago and still waiting for an answer from the P O.

Yup my tax $ at work.

[jaysouth]

As others have observed previously, I cash the money order at the post office, THEN hand to package over to be mailed, using some of the proceeds.

[montana_charlie]

Yup my tax $ at work.
None of your taxes go to the P.O. but people who get your taxes tell the P.O. that it must continue to operate at a loss.
The work that postal employees do for you is paid for by the money you spend on postage.

[Mooseman]

My bank or the post office looks at them by holding them up to the light and then cashes them right then...never had a problem

[tomme boy]

The PO has a list of known bad serial #'s. They are supposed to check the # then they also have a black light that they are supposed to scan the MO with the check for a water mark. If you have a MO that is large, call the PO and tell them you will be in at a certain time and that you have a large MO and to have the $ available. I have done this on several MO's that were 1.5-2K$ They always had the $ when done this way.

[rr2241tx]

That's odd. My PO will not sell a MO greater than $1,000. When I need more than that I have to buy a second one for the balance.

[JeffinNZ]

The only thing is good as cash is gold....in the hand.

[bubba.50]

if they have enough cash in the drawer my little p.o. will cash them. if not, the bank is always happy to cash them for me. never had a bad one yet(knock-on-wood). and as mentioned above, $1000.00 is the max amount. if it's over that ya hafta buy another one.

[DougGuy]

I do cylinder work for members here, I tell them usps money order, check, or paypal. I use my phone to photograph the money order and deposit it right then into the bank, don't even have to leave the house. Never had a prob with one but the bank DOES put a hold on the funds! Takes about a week to clear.

[shooter93]

It may have to do with small town/big town syndrome. Here most PO's have very little cash on hand but my local bank just asks if I know the person who sent it. When it's someone from this site I say yes and they cash it right then.

[JimP.]

there is a phone number the bank can call then enter the number of the money order and it will tell them if it is a real postal money order, then they can cash it. I had to get on my local BB&T bank about them cashing them instead of holding till it cleared, went over their head to corporate BB&T and they told local BB&T to verify the money order then cash it, i havent had any more trouble with the local BB&T branch office. JimP.

[Deliverator]

Why don't we have that phone number? We are the ones accepting money orders as payment, so we should have a number we can call to verify a money order.

[Remmy4477]

Our local PO Never has any money! At least thats what they always tell me! Funny thing is they sure take my money when I want a MO, Go figure!

[plmitch]

I've never had any problems cashing one at the post office regardless of the amount. They always have enough to cover it. Cash it the same time I ship an item. Can't get any easier.

[starreloader]

I've taken more than a few hundred USPS Money Orders over the years and have never had a bad one yet... I deposit them in my bank account before 3pm and they are credited to my account by 12.30am that night/morning... I have never had to wait 7 days for them to be cleared.. I can always draw on the funds the following morning..

[fryboy]

are they as good as cash ? umm no sir , but ... they are reasonably close to cash , i havent tried the "calling ahead with a large m.o." yet but may in the future ( thanx for that tip ! ) and it always seems to depend upon cash on hand ( hint - first thing in the morning isnt a good time as they havent taken in any cash yet ) i've gotten some returned as fresh m.o.'s to use in other places , or if they balk at that i buy m.o.'s and then have them cash the ones i already had :P ( talk about a vicious cycle :P )
one thing about them - if you're the purchaser save the receipt until you know the other party has gotten and cashed them ,if they get lost or destroyed one can get the money back from them , i also suppose that if say billy bob stiffs you and doesnt send the product mail fraud would be but another charge ( dont think that they're after small potatoes too much but ..if there's several cases against the same guy they eventually get'em - after all they have hollow point bullets and other weapons of war now ... ;) )

[HeavyMetal]

I've always used USPS money orders to pay for most everything, including rent and utilities! I started that about 6 years ago when I suddenly found $6000 extra dollars in my bank account!

LandLords story was his bank had been taken over and the new bank wasn't cashing my checks! This raised Hobb with my checking account for two more months before the "NEW" bank got it's act together and cashed the rent checks.

Since then USPS mo's have made life a lot easier!

The USPS money order is the only one on the market you can buy with a debit card, everyone else wants cash! This make a money order a one stop shop for me, buy the MO and drop it in the mail.

In those times I sell something I specifically ask for USPS money orders: becauase I can cash it ship it and be on my way again in one stop. I rarely sell anything that requires a huge cash outlay so I've never had the out of cash issue at the PO.

I will also second Montana Charlie's comment that thre U S Post Office is a self supporting agency of the US Government and recieves no tax dollars from the US government in any form!

The USPS also mantains it's own police force and I garontee those guys take fake money orders real serious! Mostly because dog bites are big part of thier day so a change gets a lot of attention!

[Bad Water Bill]

It probably is the only gov entity whos retirement account is solvent.

The last figures I heard they had a SURPLUS of about 6 Billion dollars.

[MaryB]

How to verify a money order:
What are some initial clues?


If the denomination is discolored, it may have been erased (indicating fraud). (See 3.)
The dollar amount should be imprinted twice. (See 4.)
Maximum value for domestic money orders is $1,000.
Maximum value for international money orders is $700 ($500 for El Salvador and Guyana).Which countries? (https://www.usps.com/shop/money-order-popup.htm)

What else should you look for?
Hold the money order up to the light. You should see:


Ben Franklin watermarks repeated on the left side (top to bottom). (See 1.)
A vertical, multicolored thread that weaves in and out of the paper to the right of the Franklin watermark. In the light, the thread appears continuous with alternating horizontal dark and light bars behind it and the letters “USPS” repeating backward and forward throughout the thread. (See 2.)

What action should you take?
Verify - Call the money order verification system at 866-459-7822.
Report - If you suspect fraud, call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service® at 877-876-2455

[6bg6ga]

I've been trying to sell a certain item lately and everybody wants to pay by USPS mo. Fine, but when I tell them I will have to hold the item until the money order clears in my bank, they back out of the deal. One guy even wants to pay by money order if we meet in person.

After all the scam stories I've read about fake money orders, I'm pretty cautious about accepting them as cash. Sometimes my post office will cash them if they have enough cash in the till. Other than that is there a way to make sure a money order is legit? My bank said they can not tell until it runs through their system like a personal check.


I think I read on here that the PO can tell if its good by checking the serial number and if so a simple call to the number Mary listed should provide results. I would rather take a MO than a check any day of the week. I'm sure if you explain this to people wishing to do business with you there will be no problem.

[gtgeorge]

The # posted above works just fine to verify them as it is what I use. They have to be @ 24 hours after purchase though so no good in a FTF if they just bought it.

And BTW they are as good as cash as even cash can be counterfeit. :oops:

[shooterg]

Never had a bad one. My small town PO can hardly ever break a hundred if you're just buying a roll of stamps in the AM. Apparently they start the day with almost nothing in the till - in a time when you can't gas up the truck w/o breaking a century note !

[jonas302]

My small post office can never cash them credit union will deposit
Good as cash not a chance if you want cash get cash a ftf with a money order would have my red flags up besides I want untraceable cash to hide under my mattress you wouldn't believe how many times I have sold something or did a job for a certain price cash and they think that means personal check or credit card

[shooterg]

"USPS benefits from preferential local, state, and federal tax treatment that results in an indirect subsidy, or tax expenditure, from all levels of government. USPS is exempt from the following:
• Local, State, and Federal Income Tax
• Property Tax
• Motor Vehicle Registration
• Parking Tickets
Like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, USPS can borrow money at very low interest rates from the U.S. Government; USPS borrows money through the U.S. Treasury paying less than 1% interest on some debt. The Postal Service has a $15 billion line of credit with U.S. Treasury."

As a Government Sponsored Enterprise, the PO has some things that need fixing, but I'd hate to do without it ! Especially Flat Rate Boxes !!

[medalguy]

I cash USPS money orders at my bank all the time. However, I always go into my bank to conduct any business. Never use the drive thru or deposit by phone. And I always try to at least wave to my banker when I'm entering or leaving the bank. One or two times a year I invite him to lunch and bring him a nice bottle of wine at Christmas. In other words, let him know I'm a valuable customer to the bank. Whenever I have any kind of problem, I go directly to him and get it solved quickly. The tellers at the bank know me too, and never hesitate to cash checks or money orders for several thousand dollars. My deposits are never held for clearance either.

The long and short of it is to make yourself known to your banker. If he (or she) knows you, you will get things done that otherwise probably wouldn't happen.

[gnoahhh]

I too have never had an issue with a USPS MO, other than having to take them to my bank when there isn't enough in the PO till to cover them. My gripe is that people still insist on using them (and checks) in the first place. I much much much prefer PayPal. It's quick and instantaneous, very secure, and doesn't necessitate driving to the PO or the bank buy them or cash them. So what if they charge a couple bucks in fees? The PO charges a small fee to cut a MO too. In this day and age I just don't get why anyone would use anything else for an internet-based transaction. (And don't start on their 'anti-gun' policy. Most of the businesses we interact with on a daily basis have anti-gun policies. We are a very small portion of the population that is by and large anti-gun or indifferent to the issue. I for one won't cut my nose off to spite my face when all it takes is to not let them know what the funds are for. )

[DeputyDog25]

I have always taken them for payment, always cashed them at the post office or my bank without a hitch.

[higgins]

I'd rather have a USPS money order because if someone claims he sent you cash for an item, who can prove otherwise if no one has a receipt? The potential hard feelings if cash is actually lost or stolen in the mail are not worth it. I know a USPS money order can be stolen too, but I think it's less likely because there's a paper trail even if it's not much of one.

[MT Gianni]

Most of the Post Offices I Live near carry less than $50 cash to open up with. After 4:00 you might get one cashed for over $200. I take them to my bank. They are still the most counterfeited MO out there.

[legend 550]

Only in the US. Bought some snowmobile parts from a fellow in Canada, he wanted a money order( no PayPal account). When he tried to cash it Canada post told him it's not worth the paper it was written on out of the us. Went to Walmart for the money order they are good anywhere in the world. Go figure

[GoodOlBoy]

I agree with the folks who say if your PO can't cash a USPS money order then it's time to start being the squeaky wheel in the equation. I don't understand the idea that people can't wait seven days for something to clear for a purchase. Doesn't smell right to me.

I have never had a bad USPS money order, I have had more fake and bad western union money orders than I can count.

GoodOlBoy

[MaryB]

Never EVER use Western Union to make a deal. Zero protection in the case of fraud and many banks won't even take them now because of that. Send someone a Western Union Moneygram and they never ship? You have no recourse where the Postal Service can go after them for mail fraud.

[attrapereves]

USPS money orders are the most secure. The buyer has to wait several weeks before being able to stop payment. This makes it almost impossible for someone to get screwed over.

[TXGunNut]

The only thing is good as cash is gold....in the hand.

Cash is cash, paper is paper. MO's, cashier's checks, travelers' checks, personal/corporate/gov't checks are all paper-worth little until cashed.

[loaded303]

If I can't deal MO or paypal forget it.

[MaryB]

Technically cash is uselss paper too. Only worth something as long as the people keep thinking it is. I take gold and silver for payment whenever possible.


Cash is cash, paper is paper. MO's, cashier's checks, travelers' checks, personal/corporate/gov't checks are all paper-worth little until cashed.

[imashooter2]

Technically cash is uselss paper too. Only worth something as long as the people keep thinking it is. I take gold and silver for payment whenever possible.

Technically gold and silver only have value while people think they do as well.

[MaryB]

gold and silver have thousands of years behind them as money...

[Bad Water Bill]

Think back to the early 80s and tell me how reliable silver was.
Friday night spot silver closed at over $40.00 per oz.

Monday it opened at about $6.00 per oz.

Both gold and silver are ONLY worth what the buyer is willing to pay for it.

[MaryB]

Still going to be worth more than a hunk of paper that isn't even useful for wiping your rear... Dollar is worth maybe 2 cents, my 1960 silver dimes are worth $1.50 right now. Which has withstood inflation better? 90% silver quarter used to buy a gallon of gas in the early 60's, that quarter is worth $3.75 and still buys a gallon of gas plus a little change...

[jcwit]

Once you find someone to pay you $3.75 for the quarter.

[MaryB]

I have no problem selling or bartering silver, in fact demand is very high. Gold is reserved for big purchases.

[a.squibload]

My gripe with USPS MOs is standing in line 20+ min. to buy one.

[jcwit]

I have no problem selling or bartering silver, in fact demand is very high. Gold is reserved for big purchases.

I have a question for you, Mary. A couple of months ago you claimed you couldn't afford an American flag & now you're telling us how you deal in gold & silver. Something doesn't add up here!

[imashooter2]

I have no problem selling or bartering silver, in fact demand is very high. Gold is reserved for big purchases.

And I have no problem bartering paper dollars. Gold and silver have some utility in good times as a hedge against inflation. The fallacy of keeping gold and silver as a store of wealth for difficult times is that if things have deteriorated to the point that paper money has no value, gold and silver are pretty much worthless too. You can't eat it, you can't wear it and it won't keep you warm.

[jcwit]

And I have no problem bartering paper dollars. Gold and silver have some utility in good times as a hedge against inflation. The fallacy of keeping gold and silver as a store of wealth for difficult times is that if things have deteriorated to the point that paper money has no value, gold and silver are pretty much worthless too. You can't eat it, you can't wear it and it won't keep you warm.

Correct, and I also have no problem dealing in plastic, I only have a problem paying the bill when I get it. LOL

I've yet to go to a gas station and get a gal. of gas for a silver quarter. But I do now and then get one in change for it's face value.

[Bad Water Bill]

Go to a coin dealer and TRY to sell your coins.

Most will not give you more than 50% of silver value as so many folks are trying to sell the coins we collected one at a time over the last almost 50 years since the government quit minting them for every day use.

If you REALLY want something that you can invest in AND transport easily look at precious stones as they are much easier to carry.

Your wife can wear a $20,000 diamond ring and never complain about the weight on her finger but see how long she can carry a 100 OZ ingot of silver in her purse before she complains.

But even these gm stones are only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for them.

[MaryB]

I rarely part with silver, only for a must have item. Otherwise that is my retirement. Plus that cash crunch was temporary because of extra medical bills and driving. I have since ordered a flag from my house representative to fly on days that honor vets. Otherwise I have been flying my Gadsden flag.


I have a question for you, Mary. A couple of months ago you claimed you couldn't afford an American flag & now you're telling us how you deal in gold & silver. Something doesn't add up here!

[6bg6ga]

I have a question for you, Mary. A couple of months ago you claimed you couldn't afford an American flag & now you're telling us how you deal in gold & silver. Something doesn't add up here!

To be blunt Mary's financial situation isn't any of our business so why question it?

[jcwit]

To be blunt Mary's financial situation isn't any of our business so why question it?
To be blunt my question to Mary is none of your business, so why question me. Her answer was more than enough.

[6bg6ga]

To be blunt my question to Mary is none of your business, so why question me. Her answer was more than enough.

It certainly isn't anything for you to question....

[jcwit]

It certainly isn't anything for you to question....
So says you!

[Bad Water Bill]

So says you!

Just what is your position in The Justice Department of The United States Government that you can come here demanding any answer from MaryB?

[6bg6ga]

Just what is your position in The Justice Department of The United States Government that you can come here demanding any answer from MaryB?


He is self appointed[smilie=s:

[jcwit]

Just what is your position in The Justice Department of The United States Government that you can come here demanding any answer from MaryB?

There was no "demand", I asked a question, who are you to demand my motive ?

[jcwit]

He is self appointed[smilie=s:

As are you.:bigsmyl2:

[Bad Water Bill]

In case you are not aware of it you are posting in the "OUR TOWN" section not "THE PIT"

Here we treat folks like friends.

[historicfirearms]

And I have no problem bartering paper dollars. Gold and silver have some utility in good times as a hedge against inflation. The fallacy of keeping gold and silver as a store of wealth for difficult times is that if things have deteriorated to the point that paper money has no value, gold and silver are pretty much worthless too. You can't eat it, you can't wear it and it won't keep you warm.


This is exactly my feeling on that situation. Tangible goods have intrinsic value, money has man-made value and if civilization collapsed, then money, gold, silver value would collapse as well.

Thanks all, especially Mary for the info on money orders. Now that I have the phone number to check on the validity of the money order, they are essentially as good as cash to me. I have no problem depositing them and waiting for the money to appear in my account if I know they are real.

[jcwit]

In case you are not aware of it you are posting in the "OUR TOWN" section not "THE PIT"

Here we treat folks like friends.

And completely understood. I asked her a simple question, she responded with a simple answer.

You and another member seem to have a problem with my question, so be it, all I can add is get over it.

Asked & answered.

[MaryB]

It was a bit personal... and in my flag post I mentioned that it was a temporary cash crunch that month. Happens when you are on social security.

My small silver and gold stash is my emergency stash for a rainy day. Yes I take a chance and may lose money but it is safer than a savings account that is earning negative interest if you factor in real unemployment.

As far as selling many of the online dealers buy back at spot plus/minus a bit depending on the premium of the silver https://online.kitco.com/sell/gold-silver.html safe and many use them. Ebay is another avenue for selling usually at a nice premium over spot price. Last thing I sold came in a purchase of 20 90% silver dimes, it was a rarer dime and I sold it for $20 on ebay turning an $18 profit that I rolled over into a purchase of 10 more dimes.. But that was 5 months or more ago. Haven't bought or sold since, been swamped with medical **** with my neck and hand surgery

[texassako]

I don't think they are quite as good as cash, just a little safer. It costs money to get one, and I had 2 different post offices tell me I could only cash them if I was paying for a service last week. It did not matter that they were small amounts.

[imashooter2]

I don't think they are quite as good as cash, just a little safer. It costs money to get one, and I had 2 different post offices tell me I could only cash them if I was paying for a service last week. It did not matter that they were small amounts.

I would not have accepted that.

[snowwolfe]

If you do cash a USPS MO and get the cash in your hand you are still responsible if they find out it is a fake. And having your bank call them in to verify is not always 100%. A few months ago I sold a Dakota rifle and the buyer paid with USPS MO's. I went to my bank and they called them in and said all were fakes. Called the guy up and he was adamant they were good and he seemed sincere. About 6 days later with the help of his postmaster we finally discovered when he bought them at the post office the clerk never input them into the system.

You might think they are as good as cash, but like anything else if they fail to clear or you find out later they are counterfeit you will be required to give the cash back. There is also no requirement that the post office has to cash them for you, although some will try. They are not required to keep a large sum of cash on hand like a bank.

[imashooter2]

Once I have cash in hand, they can ask for it back if they like. I will politely decline the request. Their recourse is against the sender, not me.

[southpaw]

Sounds like there isn't much differance in accepting a personal check and a money order. You still have to wait until it clears. The post office doesn't have to cash them and I doubt a bank will if you don't have an account with them.

If we have to wait for the money order to clear what is the benefit of sending one?

Jerry Jr.

[imashooter2]

Sounds like there isn't much differance in accepting a personal check and a money order. You still have to wait until it clears. The post office doesn't have to cash them and I doubt a bank will if you don't have an account with them.

If we have to wait for the money order to clear what is the benefit of sending one?

Jerry Jr.

The benefit for me is cash in my hand before the package goes in the mail. Apparently that benefit is variable depending on location, but it is the way it is around here and I will continue to prefer them.

[snowwolfe]

Once I have cash in hand, they can ask for it back if they like. I will politely decline the request. Their recourse is against the sender, not me.

Its just like cashing a bad check. They will get their money back from the last or only person who endorsed the back if the MO turns out to be "bad".

[40-82 hiker]

The benefit for me is cash in my hand before the package goes in the mail. Apparently that benefit is variable depending on location, but it is the way it is around here and I will continue to prefer them.

I always ask for USPS MO, and send same. However, one member here I deal with a lot sends me a personal/business check, and I cash and mail the same day. Trust 100%

However, and here is the point of this post, I recently purchased some dies using a certified check from my bank as a courtesy so the funds would be immediately available, and can be confirmed available immediately by any bank, as I understand it. Also, since it is the bank I deal with, it cost me NO money, other than the face value of the check. Don't know why I did not think of it before... I will use it again.

[imashooter2]

A cashiers check requires me to put the funds in the bank where they comingle with general funds. A USPS money order gives me cash which remains in the firearms slush fund.

[40-82 hiker]

A cashiers check requires me to put the funds in the bank where they comingle with general funds. A USPS money order gives me cash which remains in the firearms slush fund.

Hadn't thought about that. Do the same thing... Oh well, thought I was on to something. Back to USPS MO only, both ways.

[downzero]

If you don't treat a USPS money order as good as cash, why even ask for one? Take a personal check if you don't regard a money order as legit tender.

I regard a USPS money order as good as cash. The post office does, too.

[imashooter2]

Its just like cashing a bad check. They will get their money back from the last or only person who endorsed the back if the MO turns out to be "bad".

No it isn't. The bank has my money and they simply take it from my account. The PO has no access to my funds. They can sue me if they like.

[southpaw]

If you don't treat a USPS money order as good as cash, why even ask for one? Take a personal check if you don't regard a money order as legit tender.

I regard a USPS money order as good as cash. The post office does, too.

I have been on here for a few years and I can't think of a single time that personal check or a money order has been a problem. People have just plane not sent the item or sent something that was not what was advertised. It just seems that a money order has the same problems as a personal check.

Jerry Jr.

[historicfirearms]

If you don't treat a USPS money order as good as cash, why even ask for one? Take a personal check if you don't regard a money order as legit tender.

I regard a USPS money order as good as cash. The post office does, too.

The post office does too, unless they don't have enough cash in the till to cover it. Try to cash a $800 money order in a small town and see how far you get. I agree though, a personal check deposited until it clears is just as good as a money order you can't cash.

[mjwcaster]

My local PO empties their drawers before 2:00, so to cash out a MO over $100 or so you need to get there before 1:30 or so.
First thing in the morning and after the cash drop they cannot cash a larger MO.
I don't deal with money orders much, but learned a lot about them a few weeks ago while selling off some brass.
Probably should complain to the USPS, but probably wont bother, just wont take USPS money orders for large amounts, as I just can't cash them in town.

And they do cash back on debit purchases, so there have been some days where their drawers were drained because of that.

I used to think that a USPS money order was as good as cash, but it sure isn't for me in a small town. Now 30 miles from me I don't think I would have any problems in the larger towns.


Matt