Money Orders

[sghart3578]

Well you have to go to the post office to send it, so where is the hassle? Or is there a way to send a money order I haven't thought of?

Yes,

The mailbox in front of my house.

[Petrol & Powder]

It comes down to trust and value. A real USPS money order is as good as cash. Once the receiver cashes the money order, he has been paid.
The odds of getting scammed with a USPS money order are slim.
You can accept a check, deposit it and wait for it to clear - but that's a pain and the process is slow.
In today's world there are dozens of ways to transmit money but old tech still works too.

[Shawlerbrook]

A USPS money order is about the easiest thing to cash besides cash itself. I usually would also accept cash, but don’t blame anyone that would not feel safe sending a large amount of cash in the mail. I guess the bottom line is if you don’t like the price or method of payment then don’t buy, but don’t criticize.

[Handloader109]

A USPS MO is a PITA. I have to drive over 15 minutes each way to get to my closest PO. And it is old main office, and they keep very little money. I can't usually cash a MO over $50 there. I've been refused a couple of times. So it is go another 10 minutes to the next one. So 40 to 50 minutes of my time plus standing in line for 5 to 15 more. I Hate them. I'll take your check first.


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[Burnt Fingers]

For me to get a USPS money order it's a 25 minute drive...one way. Then I have to unarm myself, then go stand in line.

Total pain.

[MrWolf]

In the end it’s preference, I’ve had PP but I can’t seem to find a way to “cash out” when I need actual $$ without linking to my real bank account.

I just got a separate local bank account that I keep a few dollars in for issues such as this. If bank info is stolen or hacked, I only keep so much in it. I can always transfer to/from that account to cover purchase if needed. I have nothing close to me either. Everything is a decent drive.

[contender1]

To answer the Op,, I think this covers it pretty good.

"It comes down to trust and value. A real USPS money order is as good as cash. Once the receiver cashes the money order, he has been paid.
The odds of getting scammed with a USPS money order are slim.
You can accept a check, deposit it and wait for it to clear - but that's a pain and the process is slow."

In todays world, there are many different options to either pay for an item, or receive a payment.
It wasn't that many years ago,,, that it was either cash or check. Then credit cards became more acceptable. ANd in the world now,, many different forms of electronic payment is normal for some folks.

I occasionally sell stuff, and I also buy stuff.
I prefer to use a check or a USPS m/o.

I HATE the electronic types of paying for stuff. My wife,, has had her PP account hacked twice,, her credit cards,, 4 times. Talk about a hassle. So, the folks who refuse to use my accepted forms of payment to me,, yes,, you may be lazy, or whatever else excuse you may choose to not follow my preferred method of payment,, that's perfectly fine with me. I pass on items where sellers want PP or other forms of electronic payment.
It's called "Having a choice."
I, like some others here, do not mind waiting if a seller holds my check for it to clear. It allows us BOTH a bit of security in our transaction.
As for going to a PO.
Some folks hate it,,, complain about the time, the lines, the inconvenience, or other hassles associated with a trip to the PO. Yes,, in towns,, I can see a lot of those thoughts & reasons. For others,, like myself,, I'm out & about almost daily. I normally can only go 1 of 2 directions when I leave home. One direction, and I'll pass 5 rural PO's,,, where there aren't any lines or hassles in any form. if I go the other direction, I will pass 3 PO's and they too are easy & hassle free.
A lot depends upon where you live & the location of a PO.

I found this post,, after a discussion I'd had with a friend earlier this morning. We were discussing how we pay for stuff etc. I don't use my CC for much,, and when I do,, I pay it off before I get any fees. I don't keep a lot of cash in any of my bank accounts,, to prevent hackers & such getting much from me. Often,, if I buy something,, and I'm mailing a check,, I make the cash deposit the same day I mail my check.
I was raised hearing stories of the Great Depression. I heard enough about how banks failed,, & other such hardships. My Dad told stories of going hungry & being broke. After he was able to,, he always,, and I mean always kept emergency cash on his person to allow him to buy a meal,, or get gas. When he died,, he had a pair of Eisenhower silver dollars in his pocket,, worn from rubbing together in his pocket. I have one of them, and my brother has the other one.
We can't do online or mail type transactions with cash (generally) so a different form of payment is necessary.
A personal check,, that can be verified by a bank,, or a USPS m/o which can also be verified by the PO,, is about as secure as it gets for such things. PP, Zelle, & other forms of electronic payment,, can be "in limbo" or hacked. Western Union,,,, well,,, they apparently have had some issues and I've not used them in well over 30 years. And I'd NEVER buy a WU money order at a gas station or other place other than a bank.
As noted above,, too easy to have a LOT more of a hassle trying to recover funds if they get "lost."

But,, everybody has their preferences. My brother from a different mother,, is a computer forensics expert. Retired federal LEO. He uses electronic payment stuff all the time. HIS CHOICE.

Same thing for others,, it's THEIR choice as to what they accept as a payment,, or use as a payment.

[farmbif]

us postal money orders are very difficult to impossible to counterfeit compared to the ones you get at Walmart or 7-11.
they are fully trackable and traceable if you get cheated--supposedly--if you can get postal inspector to look at your case if you get cheated.
I've always found them good as cash and take them into post office or most banks and there is no wait in cashing them.
I used to do a bunch of sales online and got a bogus Walmart money order, the bank educated me on quite a bit about money orders.

[kerplode]

Any idea how they handle disputes? With PayPal they will side with the buyer 99.9% of the time. With PayPal they can remove funds from your account months later.

There are no "disputes" with things like Zelle, Venmo, or CashApp. If you pay with these and the seller stiffs you, it's your problem.

[Burnt Fingers]

us postal money orders are very difficult to impossible to counterfeit compared to the ones you get at Walmart or 7-11.
they are fully trackable and traceable if you get cheated--supposedly--if you can get postal inspector to look at your case if you get cheated.
I've always found them good as cash and take them into post office or most banks and there is no wait in cashing them.
I used to do a bunch of sales online and got a bogus Walmart money order, the bank educated me on quite a bit about money orders.

Yet USPS money orders are counterfeited all the time. Usually they are washed and the amount of increased. This is a industry in some prisons.

[gbrown]

Western unions and others you have to have the location for it to be sent to for pick up I believe. USPS can be gotten or picked up at any Post office. The one I have used at times for kids and things is a pre paid credit card e-mail the info from the card and they can use it. If Im buying from one of the auction sites or internet I use a pre paid card for it.

One scam I am aware of is when you are out of town and go to a restaurant. You go to pay your tab and the server takes your card to a station to run the card and bring the check back for your signature. Several people had their cards compromised, and the only thing they could figure is the server took photos with a cell phone. I carried pre paid cards, til found out American Express offers a card, called Serve. You can request one, set it it up, link it to your bank or debit card and reload it from anywhere with your phone. I just added $$ to mine sitting, in my recliner.

[metricmonkeywrench]

^^ that's the rub^^ and why i don't go there, for most of the electronic payment methods want to be connected to your bank account/credit card. I just don't trust enough in the system to make the jump. If i was in a business or doing high dollar transactions that would be a different story, for now its just me and my penny anty buying and selling.

[MT Gianni]

In 2018 they were the most counterfeited MO out there. My PO opens the day with around $20 change and occasionally by 4 PM they can cash a $200 MO but not always. I ask them if it's good but take them to the bank if it is over $100. 2 months out of the year a PO visit at my small town PO where we all know each other is 15 minutes of standing in line. I am only 6 miles away but that is still 10 minutes drive so Nov and Dec its a 3/4 hour visit to town for a MO. Retired but still think my time has value.

[MT Gianni]

One scam I am aware of is when you are out of town and go to a restaurant. You go to pay your tab and the server takes your card to a station to run the card and bring the check back for your signature. Several people had their cards compromised, and the only thing they could figure is the server took photos with a cell phone. I carried pre paid cards, til found out American Express offers a card, called Serve. You can request one, set it it up, link it to your bank or debit card and reload it from anywhere with your phone. I just added $$ to mine sitting, in my recliner.

In Canada you never get the card out of your hand, they bring the machine to your table. They get a little upset according to my wife, when you take the card out of their hands. I see it as a much better system.

[Shawlerbrook]

Yes, the electronic card skimmers are quite sophisticated. Read where they actually had them somehow wired into gas pumps and stole card information with every use.

[tankgunner59]

I'm like Shawlerbrook, I prefer USPSMO for my protection as well as the buyer/seller. It is much easier to cash and there is a bonified method of filing a claim. I will accept a personal check but I will wait for it to clear. I even asked at my credit union and was told checks up to a certain amount aren't required a clearance period by the institution. But if the check is bad those funds come out of my account and recovery of those funds is entirely on me. I too am retired and don't have the funds to pay a bill for someone who ripped me off. It isn't personal towards anyone just covering my behind.

[tinhorn97062]

Well, lots of good info here. I wasn’t aware of the issues with other types of money order. Personally, I’m a big fan of paying cash...but that also has its inherent risks. It seems that those who don’t order money orders choose so out of convenience (or lack thereof).

So this leads to another question: is there a form of payment that is more secure than the rest, or is it just a roll of the dice with everything these days?

[imashooter2]

I cash it at the PO when I send the goods. With cash in my pocket, I can’t get hurt. Dropping any MO into the bank subjects me to the whims of the various financial institutions even months after the transaction is "complete."

[M-Tecs]

A USPS MO is a PITA. I have to drive over 15 minutes each way to get to my closest PO. And it is old main office, and they keep very little money. I can't usually cash a MO over $50 there. I've been refused a couple of times. So it is go another 10 minutes to the next one. So 40 to 50 minutes of my time plus standing in line for 5 to 15 more. I Hate them. I'll take your check first.


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By law the PO is required to cash all money orders. It is true that them may not have the cash on hand but a simple phone call solves that issue. Any time I cash one for more than a couple of hundred I call the PO and inform them what time I will be there the following day and the amount I need cashed. $14,000.00 is the most I have cashed at one time.

Also the belief that a USPS MO is as good as cash only applies when cashed at the PO. If deposited at the bank and it's a forgery or washed MO it will still bounce and you are stuck paying the bank back. That can take several weeks before you find out that the MO is no good.

As a seller the only way that is 100% is cashing the USPS MO's at the PO or holding checks until it clears the bank. Don't know enough about the various money transfer apps to comment on how the scammers work the system. I do know PP is not seller friendly when it comes to any issues.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I can't add much to this thread, M-Tecs pretty much said everything I would have said.

The one thing I will add, is that my Bank won't take all money orders. Twice they refused to deposit a MO. One was from Las Vegas and the other one was from Ireland. The Ireland one was from the Royal Bank of Ireland, it looked like a plain white piece of paper with a small Hologram, an engraved stamp with dollar amount and serial number, and the words "Royal Bank of Ireland"...AND nothing else...strange looking to say the least.