You can track a lost money order by sending a copy of your receipt, along with a form and a fee to the vendor, who will then tell you if the money order has been cashed. Costs and specific services vary depending on the vendor. Western Union and MoneyGram both make their forms available online and will refund money orders that have not been cashed. Neither company offers a stop-payment service or information about who cashed a money order.
Tracking Through MoneyGram or Western Union
MoneyGram offers the ExpressPayment Photocopy Process, which guarantees three-day processing. You may also submit the completed “Claim Card” form, the fee, and a copy of your receipt by mail, however, MoneyGram may take up to 65 days to respond.
Western Union also processes faxed documents and deducts the fee from the face value of your found money order, but whether you fax or mail the Money Order Customer Request to their Colorado office, the fee is the same, and they guarantee a response within 30 days.
The United States Postal Service
If you’ve lost a postal money order, the process is essentially the same as if you’d purchased it from a commercial vendor, except you must go to the post office with the information necessary to track the money order and pay the fee. You must first determine if the document you lost is on the Missing Money Order List and report the loss to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if it is not listed.
Your Local Bank
A money order purchased from a bank is treated like a personal check when it is lost. The issuing institution puts a stop-payment on the document and gives you a new money order or a refund. The fees vary according to bank.
