Anyone ever (successfully) made a USPS money order inquiry?

[Fan4Fan]

I've paid for countless (OK, about 80 or so) comic purchases over the years with USPS money orders and never had a problem.

 

Until this past March.

 

I'd won a couple of auctions from a 100% feedback seller on eBay and wanted to get my payment out ASAP.

 

This would prove difficult since my mother was lying near death in a nearby town and most of my non-working time was spent there.

 

An unexpected opportunity came up when my dad wanted some alone time with her, so I went to that town's post office a few blocks away, purchased a money order, and sent it from there.

 

Flash forward 3 weeks and the seller is wondering when he can expect payment. I replied that I had sent it and he was willing to wait another week to see if it showed (since my feedback indicates that I pay quickly). It didn't.

 

So, I submit a missing money order inquiry form at my usual post office and purchase a new MO (no reason for the seller to have to wait on the USPS... which would not offer a refund - according to their website - until 60 days after the initial issuance date).

 

Seller gets this one (~$13) and sends my comics quickly.

 

After the 60 days are up, I contact the USPS e-mail contact regarding the status of the inquiry.

 

They reply that they never received it and that I should go back and get another one issued.

 

I do that, and wait two weeks to contact them again.

 

They reply that they never received it and that I should go back and get another one issued.

 

So... do I keep lathering, rinsing, and repeating?

 

Or is there a real way to find out what happened to my money order?

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[jordanscott]

Wow.

 

I've never heard a problem like that.

 

I had 1 lost MO and the enquiry came back quickly in agreement that whereever it was, it was not where it was supposed to be and had not been cashed. took about 2.5 weeks after the waiting period.

 

Another time I had a seller stupid enough to cash the MO and still claim he hadn't been paid. Of course, I give him the benefit of the doubt since he was a power seller and I choose to believe that he just didn't note the payment correctly when he cashed the MO. That one went even quicker.

 

I'd give it one more go and get some names and times associated with all correspondence with the PO...but if it still comes back i'd give up. It's not like escalating it will do anything.

[Zanarkand]

I always get a Western Union money order, available at local convenience stores and cheaper than postal mo's. The receipt has an 800 number and an ID code on it, and you can find out from an automated system if it's been cashed.

[Fan4Fan]

I always get a Western Union money order, available at local convenience stores and cheaper than postal mo's. The receipt has an 800 number and an ID code on it, and you can find out from an automated system if it's been cashed.

 

Ever have any trouble with them? I've seen sellers that say USPS only...

[bluenote]

i never get postal money orders... the person u are buying from(the recipient )likes them because they know to put a stop on them u have to wait 60 days... a frauduster will be long gone(with your money by then) bank money orders from a bank or better because they can tell u as soon as its is cashed and can put a stop on it at any time...

[Weird]

A couple of years ago, I made a purchase from a fairly well known artist off of his studio's own website. He asked for payment in money order form. I sent it out and never received the page I bought. The artist used the excuse that his webmail was messed up and he hadn't been getting my numerous inquiries when he finally did respond. That still didn't explain why he wouldn't have mailed out my page when he got the MO and he never indicated that my payment wasn't received. He quit responding after a while (and I was not in any way rude about the situation).

 

I went to my local post office where I bought the MO and asked how I could verify that it had been cashed and the guy actually told me he "didn't know." I went online and filled out a few things on the USPS website, but nothing ever came from them. I later saw the page for sale on a dealer's website.

 

I still have the MO receipt as a bitter reminder to never buy any of that guy's comics again.

 

[comicdonna]

I have probably made over 300 purchases with Money Orders and never had a problem. That is not usually why sellers request Money Orders. Some don't have PayPal or are unwilling to take the loss of ebay fees, by having money sent to their PayPal account.

[Aces]

I always get a Western Union money order, available at local convenience stores and cheaper than postal mo's. The receipt has an 800 number and an ID code on it, and you can find out from an automated system if it's been cashed.

 

True, but they charge $12.00 and some change to process a refund on a lost or stopped MO.

[Zanarkand]

I always get a Western Union money order, available at local convenience stores and cheaper than postal mo's. The receipt has an 800 number and an ID code on it, and you can find out from an automated system if it's been cashed.

 

Ever have any trouble with them? I've seen sellers that say USPS only...

 

Never any trouble. If you actually need it cancelled or refunded they charge a processing fee, so for low dollar stuff you're still out of luck.

 

I can't imagine anyone demanding USPS money orders only. A money order's a money order.

[Fan4Fan]

After calling the general USPS help number, I got the money order help number (1-800-868-2443... something the general number said should have been told to me when I filled out the original 6401 inquiry form).

 

Anyhow, they said that it just posted within the last 24 hours (don't know if it was the original request - 3/28 - or the one from 5/18). In any event, he admitted that the delays are largely due to the local offices not sending these things in promptly.

 

So, I'll finally see my refund.

 

Sheesh!