How to Stop Payment on a Money Order

Money orders are a safer way to send money in the mail.

Money orders are a way to give money to someone without having to write a personal check. They can be purchased with cash so there are no restrictions such as age or credit history. Some use money orders to send payments via the mail. Because the money order must be paid for in full at the time of purchase, the person receiving it as payment is guaranteed the money. If you have issued a personal money order and it has been lost or stolen, you can place a stop payment on it.

Instructions

1. Check to see whether your money order is a personal money order or a bank-issued money order. A personal money order is signed by you and is considered a one-shot checking account that allows a bank to stop payment. If the money order is signed by the bank and drawn on the bank, it is the legal equivalent of a cashier's check and is subject to sanctions on the bank if it stops payment or refuses to honor it.

2. Look for your receipt stub to find the money order's serial number.

3. Contact the bank or merchant who sold you the money order to find out if it has been cashed. They should be able to track the money order from your original receipt or stub. If you do not have this, the merchant may be able to find the serial number if he kept careful records. This is especially the case if you remember the approximate date and the amount purchased on the money order.

4. Fill out a stop payment form issued by the bank or merchant and pay any applicable stop payment fees.

Tips & Warnings

• Have the money order filled out at the time of purchase, if possible, so that you have enough information for a stop payment.

References

• Bankers Online: Stop Payment On A Money Order?
• National Check Fraud Center: Money Orders
• Bankers Online: Stop Payments on Bank-Issued Money Orders