What to Do if You Fill out a Money Order Wrong
In these hard times, you want to save every penny you can. Money orders are a way to save for a rainy day, but what happens if you make a mistake on your money order? Don’t stress; EZ Money can help you resolve any issues and help you keep your money safe.
Making a Mistake on Money Order
Unfortunately, filling out a money order with the wrong information is not easily forgiven. Once a money order has been completed, you generally won’t have the opportunity to correct the information provided. Many money order providers and cashiers won’t let you correct the mistake yourself. Changing information on the completed money order will make the order ineligible for cashing; the official policy is that money orders must be canceled and/or refunded if there is a mistake.
How Do I Cancel My Money Order?
As long as the money order has not been cashed, you can cancel it and start fresh. There are two different ways you can go about canceling the it:
- Canceling with a Receipt
If you have not yet sent your money order, you can take your receipt to a customer service representative to begin the refund process. Most providers, like Western Union, prefer that you bring the receipt in person, if possible.
If you have already sent the money order, make sure you still have the receipt stub with the serial number. Western Union has a request form on the back of the stub that you can use, or you can fill out a form online with a $15.00 processing fee. It usually takes about 30 days to process this request.
- Canceling without a Receipt
If you no longer have your money order receipt, you still have options to cancel. If you used Western Union to purchase your money order, you must download the request form and fax or email it back to Western Union with a $30.00 processing fee. Make sure you include important details like the date, time, and location of purchase as well as the payee. You may include additional information too, such as the police report if your money order was stolen.
Getting a Money Order Refunded
The refund process begins once you provide the required information to your service provider. Some money order providers, like USPS, don’t let you flat-out cancel your money order but you can still request a refund.
To process a refund request with USPS, you must have the receipt. You need to make sure that you bring the receipt, the money order (without any changes), and a form of identification to your local post office. If you no longer have the money order, you can initiate a payment inquiry with USPS online or in person at the post office.
Other providers, like Western Union, don’t need the receipt to process your refund but the process can be much longer - up to 8 weeks in some cases. So hold onto that money order receipt and keep it somewhere safe, just in case!
EZ Money Can Help Fix Your Money Order
Navigating the varying rules and regulations of an incorrect money order can be stressful. If you make a mistake with your money order, our team can help you get through it with as little fuss and confusion as possible. Times are tough right now; we’ll make your needs a priority so that you can pay your bills, help your family, or save for a rainy day - without any mistakes.