Why are money orders such a headache?

[Relic]

I live in Canada and have just started collecting WGSH megos over the past year or so. I have been able to buy a few missing parts as well as some heros that just were not available where I grew up. I do not have, nor do I want a Pay Pal account for identity theft reasons. I prefer to buy my megos by sending a money order. I have had no issues with sending money orders to the USA until recently. A few sellers on here do not want to accept a money order even though it is guaranteed by my bank. I have been told that there is long delays and in some cases even a fee when a money order arrives from Canada. Is this true of all banks in the USA? I have been told that a money order is exactly the same as cash. I am very fortunate to have the time and resources to buy a lot of megos in here. Can anyone shed some light on to this situation. I would love to able to buy more megos. Is there any specific bank or credit union that accepts Canadian money orders the way they are supposed to be accepted. I can then contact back the sellers and let them know what to do to avoid any delays etc. I am looking for the Thing, Mr. Fantastic and Isis.

[sauce]

I have accepted money orders from Canada for quite some time now. I have noticed that an additional $1.50 is required by the bank to process the money order. I also noticed that even using the same bank, Wells Fargo, different branches of that bank will make it easy or hard or just not even accept that Money order from Canada. So what I have done is to ask my Canadian friends to pay the fee and also I just use one particular branch and then all is well. I have never heard of waiting four weeks for processing. My bank processes the payment like any other check.

[Mikey]

As a seller I tried this once. (accepting a MO from out of the USA) ... it was from England, I think.

My bank told me they wont cash it unless I have the funds in my checking acount to cover it --- and I can't touch the funds until the MO clears.... It was as if I accepted a check.

It was such a pain I never accepted MO's from outside USA again.

Sorry, but too much trouble and I dont usually have the money to cover them

[Zemo]

Your gonna have hard time without a PP account. It will take patience for sure.

[Relic]

Not sure what a money order is in the USA, but in Canada a money order is exactly the same as cash. The bank in Canada where the money order is sent from GUARANTEES the amount on the order. There should never be any fee or delays from any bank in the USA. They would never delay you depositing cash. A money order is supposed to be the same.

[apes3978]

Relic,

I'm sure the amount you'll be paying for the items you want would be more than what you might feel comfortable sending thru the mail, but sending well concealed cash might be another option for you?

[galaxyexplorer42]

The long running assumptions that money orders are the same as cash is simply not true. I was a teller & a personal banker several years ago. We were NOT allowed to cash a money order for a person who did not have an account with us. We could cash a money order for one of our customers, (a person who had an account with us), if the customer had the funds to cover it. One of the problems is that a money order is too easy to forge. A non forged mo will clear in about the same amount of time that a check will. To answer your question, the reason money orders are such a hassle, is because too many people assume that they are the same as cash, & that simply isn't the case.

[Blue Meanie]

That's why with any transaction I have in the marketplace I ask for a Postal Money Order. I can cash it right there at the post office. I usually use the Postal Money Order at the post office itself when I am mailing out the members figure that they bought from me. I don't know if the Canadian Post Offices have money orders, or if they do can they be cashed at our Post Office here in the US...but that's the way I would go if a Canadian Postal Money Order can be cashed at a US Post Office.

[Brown Bear]

Money orders force the buyer to make time to walk into a bank. Paypal or credit can be paid sitting in your underwear at home and if a deal goes south, paypal reimburses you.

I'd rather paypal anyday.

[Toysyouhad.com]

I avoid Paypal at all costs after getting burned by some mad buyer on Ebay. Of course, they do their best to force you to use it. On here I dont care of course but give me a check or MO any day to get that 5% back.

[Mr Mego]

Relic, I'm always used Postal money orders for 10 years and never happen to me before, it is very simple to cash it at the Post Office. Also, I've been deals with our Canadian members with Canada Postal Money Orders that works perfect and never happens.

PayPal is nightmares that happen to my parents often that is why I don't create PayPal account anymore....

I would say "Postal Money Orders is KING".


.

[MegoMark71]

Buyers need to remember one thing, It's the sellers sale so it's the sellers rules. If a seller doesn't want to wait on a non guaranteed to ever get there money order, that is their business as it is there sale. With paypal there is no "i sent it a week ago" it is there right away. Money orders seem to get lost often. Now i will agree with you Pat, i do like postal money orders. With other ones, there is a high risk of fraud.

[Relic]

A money order from the post office in Canada costs an extra 7 dollars. The bank I deal with has no charge money orders. In the future I will just offer 7 dollars less than asking price and send a postal money order.

[MegoMark71]

So your going to ask a seller to charge you less cause you want to use a MO. I don't see that working out well for you.

[Relic]

It could never hurt to ask. The seller ultimately holds all the power. The buyer has to trust that the seller is honest. I like to believe that people are good at heart. I know I could never scam someone. Asking for a reduction is just common practice. Everyone wants the best deal posible. Thats why when you buy a new car you negotiate the price.