Effective July 10, 2022, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), section 509.3.4.4, to clarify all material circumstances under which the Postal Service has the right to perform a money order reclamation.
The Postal Service has experienced an increase in counterfeit, fraud, and other losses related to money orders.
Although the Postal Service will not publish this revision in the DMM until July 10, 2022, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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500 Additional Mailing Services
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509 Other Services
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3.0 Money Orders
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3.4 Federal Reserve System
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3.4.4 Reclamation
[Revise the text of 3.4.4 to read as follows:]
The postmaster general has the right to demand refund from the presenting bank of the amount of a paid money order if, after payment, the money order is discovered to be counterfeit, forged, or fraudulent; found to be stolen or lost, or to have a forged or unauthorized endorsement; or to contain any material defect or alteration not discovered on examination. Such right includes, but is not limited to, the right to make reclamation of the amount by which a genuine money order with a proper and authorized endorsement has been raised. Such right must be exercised within a reasonable time after the postmaster general discovers that the money order is counterfeit, forged, or fraudulent, stolen or lost, bears a forged or unauthorized endorsement, or is otherwise defective. If refund is not made by the presenting bank within 60 days after demand, the postmaster general takes such actions as may be necessary to protect the interests of the United States.
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The Postal Service will incorporate this revision into the July 10, 2022, edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 4-7-22
