How to Cash an International Money Order in the USA

Cashing any kind of money order has become an increasing challenge in recent years, due to the proliferation of counterfeit documents. Accepting an international money order does place both the recipient and the cashing agency at more risk of problems from fraud. However, in some circumstances it is possible to cash a legitimate international money order at the issuing agency or deposit it into your bank account.

Instructions

1. Ensure your money order is legitimate. Do not call a number listed on a money order, as it could be fraudulent. Call an office of the issuing agency (for example, American Express or Moneygram) to attempt to verify its authenticity.

2. Visit an agent location of the business that issued the international money order. Be sure you have at least one form of photo identification with you.

3. Deposit the international money order at your own bank as an alternative. Be aware that your bank may hold the funds to ensure legitimacy. In addition, if the money order is deemed fraudulent at a later date and you already spent the funds, your bank will likely pursue collection activity against you to get the money back.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember it is best to accept only money orders issued by major agencies such as American Express, Western Union, Moneygram, or a country's post office. This helps reduce potential fraud and difficulty cashing the instrument.

• Do not accept money orders from anyone for larger than the original purchase amount. These are usually scams and a sign that the instrument is likely forged.

References

• United States Postal Inspection Service
• Moneygram