Verifying U.S. Postal Service Money Orders

Follow these steps to cash a Postal Service™ money order:

1. Check that the amount does not exceed the legal limit: $1,000 for domestic, and $700 for international postal money orders.

2. Check that the proper security features are present:

• When held to the light, a watermark of Benjamin Franklin is repeated from top to bottom on the left side.
• When held to the light, a dark line (security thread) runs from top to bottom with the word “USPS” repeated.
• There should be no discoloration around the dol­lar amounts, which might indicate the amounts were changes.

These appear in Postal Service Notice 299, U.S. Postal Money Order Reference Card, or online at http://www.usps.com/missingmoneyorders/security.htm.

3. If the money order seems suspicious, call the U.S. Postal Service Money Order Verification System at 866-459-7822.

Please provide this information to local banks and retail­ers, as they also receive Postal Service money orders for cashing.

— Value Added and Special Services,
Product Development, 4-26-07