USPS money order question

[Dubb]

So in today's mail I got a bill from the USPS, which actually went to my parents house, which I haven't lived at or used as a billing address since early 2005.

it's an invoice for about $155, and under "invoice description" it says: Double payment of money order serial number (numbers) by replacement (numbers)

the only time I ever recall getting a money order replaced was for an ebay transaction in the summer of 2003. I remember because I recall dealing with it from the shithole apartment I was living in for that summer in college. I don't remember if it was for $155, but it's certainly possible. Seller claimed they never got the payment, I forwarded scans of receipt and everything, after a month or two went to the post office and got a replacement (had to wait 90 days I think, and when the original was never cashed they issued a new one), which I was assured made the original invalid.

If this is the scenario (lost money order is found and cashed), I'm a little confused. What bank cashes a >4 year old money order? Moreover, shouldn't the person who cashed it get hit for the invalid MO, not the person who filed it as lost?

any help in understanding what is going on here before I take it up with the PO would be much appreciated.

 

[FoBoT]

w0w, that is so long ago , there has to be a statue (or statute) of limitations on crap like that
don't money orders have a "must cash within XXX days" thing on them? like 180 days?

i don't see have they can just mail you a bill like that


what are the dates on the paper work? doesn't it have more info, like the dates cashed or dates issues or something?

 

[Dubb]

Just got off the phone with the accounts dept.

They confirmed that the MO was purchased in June of 2003, and cashed on sept 24, 2007. According to the woman on the phone, money orders aren't like checks - they CAN'T be canceled, and are good forever. Reporting one as lost only gets you a new one - the old one can still be cashed, forever. This is not what I was told back in 2003 when I first started looking into getting it replaced.

If I don't pay it, it'll go on my credit report. I can contest it by filling out a "6401" but I have to pay it first in order to be able to dispute anything. Pretty much the only hope I have of not getting reamed is to pay it and hope they discover it was cashed by someone other than the person I sent it to, or that it was illegally modified it some way.

I'm so pissed right now.

 

[Brainonska511]

That sucks. Good luck with that.

 

[Ns1]

damn, you got hosed

 

[mugs]

Did they tell you where it was cashed?

 

[Ns1]

oh wait. small claims court that shit?

it has his name on it right? since he deposited it twice wouldn't that amount to fraud?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Dubb
Just got off the phone with the accounts dept.

They confirmed that the MO was purchased in June of 2003, and cashed on sept 24, 2007. According to the woman on the phone, money orders aren't like checks - they CAN'T be canceled, and are good forever. Reporting one as lost only gets you a new one - the old one can still be cashed, forever. This is not what I was told back in 2003 when I first started looking into getting it replaced.

If I don't pay it, it'll go on my credit report. I can contest it by filling out a "6401" but I have to pay it first in order to be able to dispute anything. Pretty much the only hope I have of not getting reamed is to pay it and hope they discover it was cashed by someone other than the person I sent it to, or that it was illegally modified it some way.

I'm so pissed right now.

checks really can't be cancelled forever either.

 

[alrocky]

Originally posted by: Dubb
If I don't pay it, it'll go on my credit report. I can contest it by filling out a "6401" but I have to pay it first in order to be able to dispute anything.

The P.O. might ding you on your credit but you can dispute it without paying first - just like with any other retailer.

 

[Spikesoldier]

I suggest you try to dig info of the most important piece of info here, whoever endorsed on the reverse of the MO.

Got the serial for the replacement one too? Ask if USPS can provide an image of both and compare the signatures. If the signatures are similar or match, you probably have a very good chance of resolving this issue and of course nailing whoever had it coming to them.

 

[Old Hippie]

Reporting one as lost only gets you a new one - the old one can still be cashed, forever. This is not what I was told back in 2003 when I first started looking into getting it replaced.

Than I was misinformed also. I find it hard to believe there wasn't some kinda alert when that old MO was cashed.
Pay 'um and file that fraud claim.

Good Luck!

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Old Hippie

Reporting one as lost only gets you a new one - the old one can still be cashed, forever. This is not what I was told back in 2003 when I first started looking into getting it replaced.

Than I was misinformed also. I find it hard to believe there wasn't some kinda alert when that old MO was cashed.
Pay 'um and file that fraud claim.

Good Luck!

What happens like with cancelled checks is the letter of the law states basically it's up to you to retrieve the check/MO...we all know that is often impossible.

If someone were to cash these at any place other than the post office for the MO or the drawing bank for the check, there is a period of discovery from a few days to months.

Once that happens they go back after the original person which sucks. This is a hidden danger in using checks not many know about.

 

[Dubb]

I have the numbers for both..they're on the invoice...I will be asking for scans. luckily I work across the street from a PO so I should be able to stop in and bug them once a day if necessary.

 

[Spikesoldier]

Originally posted by: Dubb
I have the numbers for both..they're on the invoice...I will be asking for scans. luckily I work across the street from a PO so I should be able to stop in and bug them once a day if necessary.

Be sure to go into their admin office and don't bicker about anything to the POS people. sometimes you need to go into the main PO for your town.