How to Recognize a Fake Money Order

The U.S. Post Office is constantly coming up with new ways to recognize fake money orders. At their museum in the Smithsonian, an entire exhibit is dedicated to recognizing fake money orders. There are a few very recognizable features to help anyone identify a fake order.

Things You'll Need

• UV light
• Magnifying glass (optional)

Instructions

1. 

   Look for the watermark. A watermark of Benjamin Franklin is featured on the left side. His face can be seen from top to bottom. Real money orders will feature the Benjamin Franklin.

2. 

   Find the security thread. This can be seen with a UV light. The security thread runs from the top to bottom with the letters "USPS" repeated over and over.

3. Check for fiber. Real money orders will have random visible fibers that are easily seen with UV light.

4. Check out the numbers. There should not be any discoloration around the dollar amounts. If so, the numbers could have been changed.

5. Thieves will often steal a blank money order from the U.S. Post Office and alter them. They will make the money order out for more than the original amount, or will create counterfeit money orders.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Postal Museum