To track a money order by serial number, take the number printed on your purchase receipt and enter it into the issuer’s online tracking tool, call the issuer, or bring the receipt to a counter location. USPS, Western Union, and MoneyGram each run their own lookup, and the serial number tells them whether the money order has been cashed, is still outstanding, or was never delivered. From there you can decide whether to wait, file for a refund, or report fraud.
Find the Serial Number on Your Receipt
The serial number is the key to every trace. It sits on the receipt stub you were handed at purchase, usually near the top or bottom, with the dollar amount, date, and purchase location printed alongside it.
The format depends on who issued it:
- USPS money orders carry a 10-digit serial number.1United States Postal Service. Missing, Lost, or Stolen U.S. Money Order Forms
- Western Union prints a 10-digit Money Transfer Control Number, or MTCN.2Western Union. What Is a Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN)
- MoneyGram uses an authorization or reference number.3MoneyGram. Track a Transfer
Hold onto that receipt. Without the serial number, the issuer cannot easily pull up your transaction, and a search without it costs money and takes weeks.
Check the Status With the Issuer
USPS
You can check a USPS money order two ways: through the Money Orders Application on the USPS website, or in person at any Post Office.4USPS. Money Orders – The Basics For a counter inquiry, bring the receipt and a government-issued photo ID, and ask to fill out PS Form 6401 (Money Order Inquiry).5USPS. PS Form 6401 – Money Order Inquiry The clerk processes it and tells you whether the money order has been cashed. Each USPS money order can be worth up to $1,000.6USPS. Money Orders
Western Union
Enter your 10-digit MTCN into Western Union’s online tracking portal to see whether the money order has been processed.7Western Union. Track Your Money Transfer The result shows in real time whether it’s still outstanding or already cashed.
MoneyGram
MoneyGram’s tracker asks for the authorization or reference number from your receipt along with your last name, and returns the status immediately.3MoneyGram. Track a Transfer
If You Don’t Have the Receipt
You can still request a trace without the serial number, but expect a fee and a longer wait. Each issuer runs a separate search process and asks for as much detail about the original purchase as you can supply.
- USPS: Fill out PS Form 6401 with the amount, approximate date, and Post Office location where you bought it.4USPS. Money Orders – The Basics
- Western Union: Complete the Money Order Research Request form and include a $30 non-refundable administrative fee, payable by money order or check only.8Western Union. Money Order Research Request Form
- MoneyGram: Complete the MO Search form with the exact purchase date, exact dollar amount, payee name, and the store name and address. Include a $40 non-refundable processing fee and a valid email address; MoneyGram only searches the specific date you provide and notifies you of results by email.9MoneyGram. MO Search Form
The more detail you can give about the transaction, the better your odds of a match.
If the Money Order Is Still Uncashed: Refund or Replacement
When the trace confirms your money order was never cashed, you can file for a refund or a replacement. The process differs by issuer.
USPS
File PS Form 6401 at any Post Office and pay a $21 processing fee. Confirming a money order is lost or stolen can take up to 30 days, and a full investigation may take up to 60 days from the date of purchase.6USPS. Money Orders USPS will not issue a replacement until at least 60 days after the original purchase date, and it will not entertain a claim for improper payment more than one year after the money order was paid.4USPS. Money Orders – The Basics USPS does not offer stop-payment orders on postal money orders.
Western Union
Submit the online refund request form. With proof of purchase, refunds are typically processed within five business days. Without proof, a search runs first and results come back in two to four weeks.10Western Union. Money Order Refund Request Once approved, you collect the refund at any Western Union agent location.
Western Union deducts a non-refundable processing fee from the face value:
- $5 or less: no fee
- Above $5 but under $100: $5 fee
- $100 or more: $15 fee
Additional fees may apply depending on status.10Western Union. Money Order Refund Request
MoneyGram
MoneyGram takes replacement requests only online; mailed requests are not accepted. You can file once at least two weeks have passed since you mailed the money order and you have verified its status through the tracker. Approval brings a reference number by email that you use to collect funds at any MoneyGram agent. Processing takes about seven business days.11MoneyGram. Help for MoneyGram Money Orders
MoneyGram’s replacement fees are based on face value:
- $6.00 to $49.99: 50% of the face value
- $50.00 or more: $25 flat fee
Money orders below $6 are not eligible for the online replacement process.11MoneyGram. Help for MoneyGram Money Orders
If the Trace Shows It Was Already Cashed
A cashed money order cannot be refunded by the issuer, even if the signature on the back is not yours or the intended recipient’s. What the issuer will do is send you a copy of the endorsed money order showing the signature used to cash it. That copy is your primary evidence for a fraud claim.
Report the fraud. For USPS money orders, contact the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or file a report online.12United States Postal Inspection Service. Report a Crime For money orders from any issuer, you can also report to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, which shares reports with more than 2,800 law enforcement agencies.13Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud.ftc.gov File a report with your local police as well; you may need the police report number to support a later civil claim against the person who cashed it.
Don’t Wait Too Long to Trace
Money orders technically do not expire, but that does not mean the value stays intact. USPS money orders hold their full value indefinitely, while private issuers deduct service charges from uncashed money orders over time.4USPS. Money Orders – The Basics
Western Union money orders are subject to a non-refundable service charge that begins one to three years after purchase, depending on the state where you bought it.14Western Union. Money Orders – Purchase and Cash at a Western Union Near You MoneyGram money orders that remain uncashed after one year may be hit with a monthly service charge that eats into the value; the exact amount is printed on the back of the money order.15MoneyGram. Help for MoneyGram Money Orders
And on the USPS side, the one-year cutoff for claims of improper payment is a hard stop. If you suspect anything is off with a money order you bought or sent, run the serial number now rather than later.