What to do if you want to cancel or replace a Money Order: Occasionally you might find that your plans change after making a money order purchase, either due to personal issues, loss, or theft. So the question is how to cancel or replace a Money Order ?
Money Orders can be cancelled by most issuers, including the U.S. Postal Service, Western Union and MoneyGram.
In the event that you are unable to return your Money Order to the place where you originally purchased it, you can return it to the place where you initially purchased it, by completing a form.
For this reason, you must bring identification as well as any information you have about the Money Order. We recommend that you keep a copy of the original Money Order receipt on hand.
After your application is approved, the issuer will provide the funds, which typically take about 60 days to return.
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to act quickly in order to avoid losing money if a Money Order has already been charged or deposited.
Keep Reading: Why my Credit card account was cancelled?
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Money order cancellation or replacement
There are some steps you need to take either in person or remotely in order to cancel or replace a Money Order. The form can be faxed or emailed with Western Union, for example.
You should submit your application in person since it is the safest method. You do not need to wait for the forms to arrive in the mail, and a representative can help you verify you meet all the requirements.
However, it is possible for you to experience delays in the issuing company’s investigation.
Note that you don’t necessarily have to go to the same place where you bought your Money Order, although sometimes it is helpful. A USPS Money Order can be picked up at any post office that processes USPS money orders. In addition, you can use several branches of the same bank, credit union, or money transfer company.
Check out the forms
It is possible to begin the process of how to cancel or replace a Money Order by visiting the customer service website of the company that issued the Money Order:
- Replacement Instructions from USPS.
- Money orders from Western Union or
- Service forms for MoneyGram.
Keep the original receipt
Save your receipt every time you buy a money order. At the time of cancellation, it is helpful to provide the receipt as it contains key information such as your money order number, payee and other details.
What if I don’t have a receipt?
If you do not have the money order receipt, we recommend gathering as much information as possible. It may be helpful to take a picture of the original Money Order.
When cancelling or replacing a Money Order, you may have to pay additional fees if you do not have a receipt. However, you may not be able to do this without a receipt.
If you still have the original Money Order
In the case of an original Money Order, it is very helpful, since returning the document to the issuer ensures that it will not be charged, which, at the same time, reduces the risk and can speed up the refund process.
Does it take long to change or cancel a money order?
After you cancel a money order, the issuer will investigate the transaction, and if it hasn’t been paid, they will confirm it.
Alternatively, if it is still “pending”, you will receive a refund or replacement less any fees applied, depending on the issuer.
Plan for a 30- to 60-day process
It will depend on how complex the situation is whether it takes longer to cancel or replace a Money Order.
Some issuers provide a refund in the event of approval, while others provide a replacement Money Order. However, the term can vary between one and three months as we mentioned before.
If the card has already been charged, what should I do?
It is usually possible to obtain a copy of the document so you will know who approved the money order and when.
These documents could be useful to you as well as law enforcement officials, allowing them to find the perpetrators of fraud or theft.
Moreover, the information could also help you recover your money if the bank was not properly verifying the identity of the person who collected the Money Order, for example.
Keep Reading: Is it possible to deposit money at any ATM?
Cancellation or replacement fee for a money order
If an extended period of time has passed since the issue, you will be charged a fee to cancel or replace the Money Order to get it back.
As an example, Wester Union and MoneyGram each charge US $ 15, while the US Postal Service discounts US $ 6.25. However, depending on whether you have an original receipt or if you want to speed up the process, these prices may increase.
If you send the fee with your cancellation request, it may be deducted from your refund in some cases. However, the process will also be slowed down if a Money Order was collected, since the funds are nowhere to be found.
When you receive a Money Order
You may wonder if Money Orders are a completely secure form of payment or whether your buyer can cancel them before you collect them.
To reduce the chances of a Money Order being cancelled, charge or deposit the Money Order as soon as possible to be safe.
Creating a fake money order
Money Orders are one of the most popular ways that scammers use to carry out their malicious practices, so it is possible that the Money Order is fake.
It is possible for the buyer to cancel the Money Order before it is collected
Before shipping merchandise, it is a good idea to make sure the payment has been received by calling the issuer, however it is safer to take the Money Order directly from the issuer.
Cancellation resources for Money Orders
It is advisable to speak directly to the person who issued the Money Order if you want to cancel or replace it.
For further information, you might want to consider reviewing the following documents and information available for each issuer:
- Through the Wester Union.com website, you can search for a lost Money Order.
- MoneyGram’s Money Order Claim Card available at MoneyGram.com.
- Order USPS money orders online at USPS.com using PS Form 6401.
For the best service and up-to-date forms, contact your Money Order issuer directly.
How can I request a refund of a money order?
You can check the status of your money order by calling 1-800-999-9660 before requesting a refund.
In the event that your money order or buyer’s receipt has not been cashed, you will need to do the following to receive a refund:
- Fill out the Money Order Refund Request form.
- Provide the details and attach the receipt.
- Accept the terms and conditions and click Submit.
Remember:
- Your refund amount* will be reduced by a $15 non-refundable processing fee.
- In the case of money orders less than $20, there is a $3 refund processing fee.
- Refunds take about 30 days to process.
If your money order has not been cashed and you do not have the original money order or buyer’s receipt, you’ll need to complete the following steps to receive a refund:
- The Money Order Research Request form can be downloaded and printed.
- Be sure to fill out the details and notarize the form.
- Please submit the notarized form with the required documents* proving you are the buyer to [email protected] or by fax to 1-720-865-0477.
Remember the following:
- Your refund amount will be reduced by a $30 non-refundable processing fee.
- It will take us about 6-8 weeks to process your request and refund you.
*An original receipt issued by the store register, copies of other money orders or your receipts purchased simultaneously, a bank statement indicating payment, or copies of money orders purchased for the same purpose and amount (ex. rent or mortgage).
If you are the payee (individual recipient) or business (legal entity) and your money order has not been cashed, you will need to follow these steps to get a refund:
- Affidavit for Money Orders* can be downloaded and printed.
- Simply enter your information.
- Your completed form and a clear copy of your money order should be sent to the address on the receipt, along with the original copy. You can also fax it to 1-720-864-0477 or email it to [email protected] *
Note:
- You may not be eligible for a refund in some cases.
- Please allow 30 days for your refund request to be processed.
- Your refund amount will be reduced by a non-refundable processing fee of $15.
* The payee must complete page 1 of the affidavit form, while the business must complete pages 1 and 2.
If you have your original money order or buyer’s receipt, you can obtain a photocopy of the cashed money order by doing the following:
Please mail the completed form with the $15 non-refundable processing fee and a money order or check made payable to Western Union Financial Services, Inc. You will find our address on your receipt.
Remember the following:
- You should keep a copy of all submissions for your records.
- To avoid a processing delay, include a copy of your money order stub with your application.
- When a refund request is submitted and processed, a stop payment is placed on the original money order.
- Western Union does not control the mailing process, so it may take an additional 10 to 15 days.
- When you call Customer Service, we cannot verify if the customer is the actual buyer. The money order receipt provides evidence of the purchase agreement.
- When the processing fee is received, we will send you a photocopy of the cashed money order.
- Refund checks will be issued if funds are available from the money order.
- If the issuance fee is not submitted, 15 USD will be deducted from the principal amount.
Thankyou for reading.
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