What Happens If a Money Order Is Lost?

A money order is a secure form of paper payment that’s paid for upfront; when one gets lost, you may be able to get a refund if it hasn’t been cashed yet. In this situation, it’s important to act quickly and keep your paperwork organized. You may also need to pay a fee to get your money back. If the money order has been cashed, however, you may be out of luck.

Below, you’ll learn what steps to take if a money order is lost so you can manage your finances as effectively as possible.

Tracking Money Orders

Knowing how to track a money order is crucial, especially if you suspect that your money order is lost or stolen — or if you suspect you’re a victim of a money order scam.

When you purchase a money order, you typically use cash, a debit card connected to your checking account, or a traveler’s check (you usually cannot use a credit card). You’ll receive a receipt with a serial number or money order number. The issuer of the money order usually has a website where you can enter in this number to determine if the money order has been cashed.

If the money order hasn’t been cashed and you think it’s been lost or possibly stolen en route to its recipient, you’ll need this tracking number to replace or cancel the money order.

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What Happens If You Lose a Money Order?

If you lose a money order, you may be able to work with the issuer to replace it or cancel it (for a fee). Each issuer has its own process, detailed on its website.

However, if the money order has already been cashed, you typically won’t be able to recover the funds (more on that below).

Worth noting: Because money orders have the payee’s name and address on them, it’s difficult for the wrong person to cash a money order if they find one that doesn’t belong to them. This makes money orders significantly safer than sending cash.

Here’s what happens if you lose a money order from each of the major issuers:

USPS

The United States Postal Service has affordable money orders (as low as $2.35), but if yours is lost or stolen, you can’t cancel it. Instead, the USPS only lets you replace it.

You’ll need the serial number, post office number of the branch where you purchased it, and the dollar amount in order to track the money order on the U.S. Postal Service website. This process can take up to 30 days.

If you learn that the money order hasn’t been deposited, you can start a Money Order Inquiry. The U.S. Postal Service website advises customers to start the inquiry at a post office branch and then check up on the process online. It usually costs $20.15 in processing fees to replace the money order, and the process can take up to 60 days. The same process can yield results even if you don’t have your original receipt.

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Western Union

Before attempting to cancel a money order with Western Union, customers are instructed to call 1-800-999-9660 to check the payment’s status.

Western Union allows you to cancel money orders that have not been deposited. You’ll be issued a refund in roughly 30 days. (Additional time may be needed for it to arrive by mail.)

To start the process, fill out the Money Order Customer Request form on the Western Union website using the details on your receipt. There’s currently no fee for this request if a money order has a face value under $5, a $5 fee for money orders that are for more than $5 but less than $100, and a fee of $15 for those with a face value of more than $100.

If you don’t have the receipt, you may still be able to request a refund. The process is a little more complicated, and there may be an additional research fee of $15 charged.

MoneyGram

When you purchase a money order at a retail location, the issuer might be MoneyGram. Like the USPS, MoneyGram does not offer refunds on money orders; instead, you can only replace them.

You can track the status of a money order on the MoneyGram website if you have the serial number and dollar amount. If the money order hasn’t been cashed yet, MoneyGram allows you to fill out a replacement request.

The replacement money order takes between seven and 10 business days to process (and you can track that status online as well). The fee for this service costs $25 for money orders of $50 or more; 50% of the face value for those under $50.

If you are trying to track a MoneyGram money order and don’t have your receipt with the necessary information, you may be able to retrieve that information for an additional fee of $18 and then proceed with the replacement process. This can take up to eight weeks in total to complete.

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Bank or Credit Union

If you purchased a money order at a specific bank or credit union, you can contact that financial institution — over the phone or in person — to ask how to track your money order. There is a good deal of variation among financial institutions, so you can also ask them to advise you on the process, timeline, and fees for replacing or canceling a lost money order.

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Replacing or Canceling a Lost Money Order

As you’ve learned, each issuer has its own guidelines for replacing or canceling a lost money order. However, there’s a common set of actions to take in each instance.

Here’s what to do if you lose a money order:

1. Tracking the Money Order

First and foremost, issuers want you to track the money order before anything else. If you discover it has been cashed, you can’t move forward with the rest of these steps.

2. Getting in Touch With the Issuer

Getting in touch with the issuer to understand your options is a good next step. Some issuers may let you take action over the phone or in person, and others may direct you to a replacement or cancellation form online.

3. Filling Out a Request Form

To cancel or replace the money order, you’ll often have to fill out a form online. Depending on the issuer, you’ll need information like:

•  The serial or money order number

•  The dollar amount

•  Where you purchased it

Issuers may have options for canceling a money order even if you don’t have all this information. The fees and processing times for doing so may increase due to the additional work required to trace the money order.

4. Paying a Replacement or Cancellation Fee

No matter where you purchased the money order, you’ll likely have to pay a fee to replace or cancel it. The fee is usually around $15, and, as noted, can be higher if you don’t have your receipt.

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What Happens If Your Money Order Was Cashed?

If your money order was already cashed, there’s usually no way of getting your money back. However, you may still want the issuer to provide a copy of the money order so that you can use it to file a bank fraud claim or talk to law enforcement.

Depositing Money Orders

If you received a money order as payment and are not sure what to do, you have multiple options for depositing or cashing the money order.

•  Banks and credit unions are a smart option; if you take it to your personal bank, you may be able to deposit the money straight into your bank account.

•  You may also be able to cash your money order at a check-cashing location, Western Union, or the post office.

•  You might be able to cash a money order at a grocery store. Walmart will cash Western Union and MoneyGram money orders

Depending on where you cash the money order, you might have to pay a fee. For example, at Walmart, you may pay $4 to cash up to $1,000, which is the usual face value limit for individual money orders.

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The Takeaway

Money orders are typically a safe way to send money to friends, family, and businesses. However, money orders can get lost or stolen. What happens next will depend on whether the money order has been cashed yet. If your money order is missing and hasn’t been cashed yet, you may be able to recover the money — for a fee. If it’s been cashed, you are typically out of luck and cannot cancel it and/or get a refund.

FAQ

Can a lost money order be traced?

A money order cannot be traced. Like a personal check, a money order is a piece of paper without any embedded tracking technology or digital trail. The only way you can track a money order is if it’s deposited — at which point it’s too late to try to cancel or replace it.

Can you get a money order reprinted?

If you have lost a money order and it has not yet been deposited, it may be possible to have it reprinted. Fees may be involved. You’ll need to contact the issuer and follow their steps for replacing or canceling the money order.

How do you claim a lost money order?

If you believe your money order is lost or stolen, contact the issuer to check on the status. You’ll need information from the receipt. (If you don’t have these details, the issuer may be able to retrieve it, often for a fee.)

Each issuer has its own process. For instance, the USPS requires that you visit a post office in person and start a Money Order Inquiry. Western Union allows you to fill out a form online. Expect to pay a fee — and if the money order has already been deposited, you can’t cancel or replace the order.

How can you see who cashed a money order?

While you can’t see who cashed a money order, you can determine if it’s been cashed. Each money order issuer has its own process for tracking, but they will usually need information from the receipt, like the money order number and dollar amount. Contact the issuer (check their website or app, or call customer service) if you’re not sure where to start. Also, if you have lost or misplaced the receipt, you may be able to track that information down with the issuer’s help and for a fee.

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Photo credit: iStock/MichaelPenhallow

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