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!