A money order is a simple way of exchanging money that functions similarly to a personal check. Once the money order is filled out and paid for, it can be transferred to another person to be cashed. Like checks, money orders can be, and many times are, sent through the mail. If the money order never arrives at its destination, however, you will likely want to know what happened to it. Luckily, organizations that provide money orders also provide services to trace those money order to determine their status. However, the usefulness and fees of these services vary between issuers and depend on whether or not you have your original receipt.
Method 1. Tracing A Money Order With A Receipt
Be sure that you have the proper receipt. In order to track your money order, you'll have to have the correct receipt; that is, you'll need the one with the serial number or receipt number of the money order on it. For USPS money orders, this will be the stub on the side of the order. For Western Union orders, this will be the bottom portion.
Method 1. Tracing A Money Order With A Receipt
Be sure that you have the proper receipt. In order to track your money order, you'll have to have the correct receipt; that is, you'll need the one with the serial number or receipt number of the money order on it. For USPS money orders, this will be the stub on the side of the order. For Western Union orders, this will be the bottom portion.
- Some resellers (convenience stores, supermarkets, etc.) may provide you with an additional receipt that does not show the required numbers. This is not the receipt that you need.
Know who to contact. You will need to contact the issuer of the money order. This is the service that actually processes the order, usually your bank, the US Postal Service, or another money-sending service like MoneyGram or Western Union. The name of the issuer will also appear on the money order and receipt. You should not contact the reseller of your money order, which could be any convenience store, supermarket, or other store where your money order was purchased.
Follow the status of the money order online. Some issuers allow you to track the money order online for free using the serial number. The USPS, for example, has a convenient tracking site that you can use to check the status of your money order and see if it has been lost or stolen.
- Most issuers do not offer online tracking. If it is unclear if you can do so, or how you can do so,contact the seller to see if it is possible.
Call the money order issuer. You can find a customer service number on the receipt or stub for the money order. If for some reason the number is illegible or missing, you can easily the find contact information for the issuer on their website. All that you will have to do when you call is tell the representative that you need to trace the money order and provide them with the serial number or receipt for the your order.
- The representative will only be able to tell you if the money order has been cashed or if it is outstanding, and will not be able to tell you it's location.
Complete the necessary paperwork. If you believe your money order is lost or stolen, you will have to fill out the proper type of form and mail it in to trace your money order.
- For USPS money orders, visit a USPS location and ask for a PS From 6401 Money Order Inquiry. You will need a valid photo ID and a fee of $6.10 to issue the request. From there, USPS will trace your money order and it will appear on the lost money order list on the USPS website if it is indeed lost or stolen.
- For Western Union or MoneyGram orders, take the receipt to the agent that you bought the money order from. After you fill out the required paperwork and pay a fee ($15 for Western Union), the service will trace the money order for you. For some tracing requests, this may take up to 8 weeks
File for replacement or compensation if the money order is lost or stolen.Depending on the issuer and the materials you can provide, this can be either an easy or a time-consuming process.
- Western Union has a variety of applications for compensation available to customers, and you must select the appropriate form depending on which materials you have (serial number and receipt, for example).If the money order has not been cashed, Western Union will either refund your money or replace the money order.
- For MoneyGram money orders, expect that, if the money order has not been cashed, the full amount will be refunded to you within 30 to 65 days of filing the correct paperwork. If the money order has been cashed, though, you will only receive a photocopy of the cashed money order
