To track a money order, find the serial number printed on the receipt you got at purchase and enter it into the issuer’s status tool — USPS, Western Union, and MoneyGram each have their own. The lookup tells you whether the money order has been cashed or is still outstanding. If you need a refund, a replacement, or a copy of a cashed money order, you file a paper inquiry with the issuer and pay a fee.
What You Need Before You Start
The serial number, sometimes called a reference number, is the key. It sits on the receipt you were handed at the counter, and without it every issuer’s ability to find your transaction drops sharply.
Each issuer asks for a slightly different set of details alongside that number. USPS wants three items from the receipt: the serial number, the Post Office number, and the issued amount.1USPS. Money Orders – The Basics Western Union prints a barcode on the bottom stub of the money order that serves as the purchaser’s receipt, so that detached piece is what you need to keep. MoneyGram uses the reference number together with your last name for its online lookup.
How to Check the Status With Each Issuer
USPS
USPS runs a free online tool where you enter the serial number, Post Office number, and issued amount to see whether the money order has been paid.2USPS. Check Money Order Status There is also a phone line at 1-866-974-2733 for status updates.3USPS. PS Form 6401 – Money Order Inquiry
A status check is free. Anything more — a refund, a replacement, or a copy of a cashed money order — requires you to go to any Post Office in person and fill out PS Form 6401, the Money Order Inquiry. One form per money order, and a separate inquiry fee for each. A postal employee checks the form against your receipt and mails it to the USPS Accounting Service Center in St. Louis.1USPS. Money Orders – The Basics
Western Union
If you still have the original receipt stub, Western Union lets you submit a refund request online without filling out a separate research form. If the receipt is gone and you don’t know the serial number, you complete a paper Money Order Research Request form and mail it in with a non-refundable administrative fee. The form asks for the approximate purchase date, amount, payee name, and location, and processing takes about six to eight weeks.4Western Union. Money Order Research Request
MoneyGram
MoneyGram’s online tracker takes your reference number and last name and returns the status of the transaction.5MoneyGram. Track a Transfer The result shows whether the money order has been cashed or is still outstanding. If you need a photocopy of a cashed money order, MoneyGram charges an $18 non-refundable processing fee, which you can pay online or at a MoneyGram location.6MoneyGram. How Do I Request a Photocopy of a Cashed Money Order
What Your Result Means
You’ll usually see one of three outcomes. “Cashed” or “cleared” means someone has already deposited or cashed the money order and the funds are gone. “Pending” or “not cashed” means the money order is issued but nobody has presented it for payment yet. “Not found” typically points to a typo in the serial number or amount, or to a very recent purchase that hasn’t posted to the system.
If the status says cashed but your recipient says they never got it, that is a signal that someone else may have taken the payment. A photocopy of the cashed money order will show the endorsement on the back and can help identify who deposited it.
Tracking Without a Receipt
Losing the receipt makes everything harder and more expensive. None of the issuers can pull up a money order instantly without the serial number.
With USPS, you can still file PS Form 6401 at a Post Office, but the search takes longer without the serial number and may not turn anything up. The inquiry fee applies either way. With Western Union, you have to submit the paper Money Order Research Request form with as much detail as you can give about date, amount, location, and payee. The company does not promise it can find the serial number, and the non-refundable administrative fee is charged whether the search succeeds or not.4Western Union. Money Order Research Request With MoneyGram, the online tool won’t work without the reference number, so you’ll need to contact the company directly with your purchase details; this can take several weeks and may involve a fee.
Snapping a photo of the money order and the receipt right after purchase is the simplest way to avoid all of this.
Refunds and Replacements
If tracking confirms the money order hasn’t been cashed and you want your money back, or if the money order is lost or damaged, you can file for a refund or a replacement. Every issuer charges a non-refundable processing fee, and the wait varies.
- USPS: the inquiry fee is $21.00 per money order as of January 2026. After you file PS Form 6401, USPS issues a refund 60 days or more from the original issue date, or sends a copy of the cashed money order if it has already been paid.7USPS. Notice 123 – Price List3USPS. PS Form 6401 – Money Order Inquiry
- Western Union: the non-refundable administrative fee is $15.00, payable by money order or check. Allow six to eight weeks. If the money order hasn’t been cashed you may get a refund; if it has, you’ll receive a front-and-back photocopy instead.4Western Union. Money Order Research Request
- MoneyGram: refund processing fees vary with the face value of the money order, and you can start the request online. A photocopy of a cashed money order costs $18.8MoneyGram. Refund
Once a stop payment goes through, the original money order is void and cannot be cashed. The issuer then either mails a replacement or issues a refund after confirming the original was never paid.
If the Money Order Was Cashed by the Wrong Person
Start by requesting a photocopy of the cashed money order from the issuer. The endorsement on the back shows who signed it, and the front may indicate which bank processed it. That paperwork is what a fraud investigation runs on.
For USPS money orders, the Postal Service provides a copy or scanned image after you file PS Form 6401.3USPS. PS Form 6401 – Money Order Inquiry Because postal money orders are federal financial instruments, fraudulent cashing can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-800-372-8347. For money orders from private issuers, file a report with local police and contact the issuer’s fraud department.
A refund on a fraudulently cashed money order isn’t guaranteed. When you file a USPS inquiry, you agree to repay the Postal Service if the original money order is later cashed by the legitimate payee after a refund has been issued.3USPS. PS Form 6401 – Money Order Inquiry Issuers investigate before releasing funds, and a police report helps support the claim.
Old Money Orders Lose Value at Some Issuers
If you’re tracking a money order that has been sitting around for a while, the amount you get back may not equal the face value. USPS domestic money orders never expire and hold their full value indefinitely.9USPS. Money Orders Western Union money orders also don’t expire, but depending on the state of purchase, a non-refundable service charge may be deducted from the face value after one to three years uncashed.10Western Union. Money Orders – Purchase and Cash at a Western Union Near You MoneyGram money orders don’t expire either, but those left uncashed for more than a year may be hit with a monthly service charge that eats into the face value. The exact amount is printed on the back of the money order.11MoneyGram. Frequently Asked Questions About Purchasing a Money Order
If you’re holding an old Western Union or MoneyGram money order you never sent, cashing or refunding it sooner is safer than waiting.