Redux and RANT on Canadian money order...(hi Forgotten!) and can I trust Chase???

[nickifan]

My MAJOR question upfront if you don't want to read entire rant:

If I am late on my Chase Visa (as of two weeks ago) and have no money in Chase Checking and a dollar in Chase savings...can I deposit a $500 money order and wait up to two weeks for it to clear without Chase Bank helping themselves to it to cover the missed Chase Visa payment?? Or is this way too early for the cross-collaterization stuff?? I started out taking the money order to my community credit union (opened so I can stop doing biz with Chase) -- but it will take UP TO FIFTY DAYS to clear!!!

Okay...rant begins. Let me start by saying I truly understand how and why people "go postal" at the post office.

I asked here in Jan. about how best to get money from a Canadian friend. I assured her she could get a Canadian money order at her Canadian post office and have it payable to me in American dollars and we'd be good to go, because any post office would cash it on the spot!

Not in my part of Texas, where the post office clerks apparently don't read their own freakin' website.

I already knew not to show up before mid-afternoon or they "won't have money in the till" to cover the M.O. (Brief sidestep rant: can you imagine a BANK telling you to come back when they have the cash in the drawer???)

So I show up at 3:30 p.m. with my $500 M.O., which I'm sure I don't have to tell you I need desperately. The clerk of Asian ancestry tells me they "don't cash checks from OVERSEAS." (I guess that sound you heard as you slept last night was continental drift as all of North and Central America up to the Panama Canal shifted across the Atlantic....)

I evenly pointed out it was a Canadian M.O. and the Post Office treats them extra nice, of all other countries. (Says so right on the website. And that the clerk can call the toll-free number on the back of the M.O. to verify it.) Then clerk says she "just opened" and doesn't have $500 in her drawer. I said her neighboring clerks likely do...but she needed to check with the supervisor anyway about this upstart money order.

Came back 5 minutes later and said the money order number "wasn't in their system." I even more evenly said of course not, it's not a DOMESTIC money order, that they need to call the "toll free number on the back to verify it." She kept saying it wasn't in the system and they can't cash it...yet she started to ask the other clerks if they could cover $500!! (Yes I know this is making no sense.) I asked which excuse ranked higher -- that they WON'T cash it or they CAN'T cash it?? Then I left before I committed a crime of passion.

I called the USPS when I got home (after spending 10 minutes typing a complaint at the website that then disappeared...can you tell it was not my day???) and the rep absolutely acknowledged that they can cash a Canadian money order "if it is payable to someone who has an American address and it is for U.S. currency." I said we never even got to the point where she asked for my ID. She gave me the phone numbers of the closest two P.O.s and suggested I call first before trying again. One of them of course is where the debacle began, and the other last month "didn't have the money" for my American M.O. and gave me attitude about "not being required to cash it." I am running out of post offices where my photo is likely not up on the back wall....

So I am sitting here deciding whether to try one more "virgin-to-me" post office eight miles away ... or just deposit it at Chase and worry if they'll peel off some of the funds!! I had hoped to retain the attorney this week with the money, but there goes that plan!!

[SMinGA]

2 weeks late on the Chase visa should not make it an issue. I've never heard of major banks cross-collateralizing. They usually don't know what the other departments are even doing. Should need a court order/judgement to get money from your bank account.

[keepinitreal]

Not in my part of Texas, where the post office clerks apparently don't read their own freakin' website.

Maybe you could print out what it says on their own website, and bring it with you when you go to your next post office. Good luck!

[OhioFiler]

Maybe you could print out what it says on their own website, and bring it with you when you go to your next post office. Good luck!

Imagine if these people get a hold of your health care!

[WhatMoney]

Imagine if these people get a hold of your health care!

Ah yes the usual stupid remark from OF that has nothing to do with the topic.

I would definitely NOT want anyone in Texas to have anything to do with my healthcare however. Sounds like the whole state is full of dummies.

Post offices in the North, you know, just south of Canada, have no problem cashing Canadian money orders. Maybe you should have got your money order from a Mexican post office.

[forgotten]

Okay...rant begins. Let me start by saying I truly understand how and why people "go postal" at the post office.

wow. great post office you have over there! Way to make me feel bad by throwing my name in there!

That really sucks... like you said, they *should* cash it. You could call and insist to speak with the postmaster or officer-in-charge of the location that is refusing to cash it. Let them know the employees need retrained on proper money order procedures.

[nickifan]

wow. great post office you have over there! Way to make me feel bad by throwing my name in there!

That really sucks... like you said, they *should* cash it. You could call and insist to speak with the postmaster or officer-in-charge of the location that is refusing to cash it. Let them know the employees need retrained on proper money order procedures.

Well, it is ALL YOUR FAULT!
I told my Canadian friend, "my good buddy Forgotten says to get a Canadian P.O. for U.S. currency and we're good to go!"

I did briefly think about going back and making a complaint with a higher-up...but at the other post office, the _supervisor also gave me attitude about not cashing an AMERICAN M.O. because they didn't have enough money. If I had a dime for every time they've "helpfully" told me I can "just cash it at your bank," I wouldn't have to file BK.

And tomorrow I expect to get three smaller-amount U.S. money orders, so I need to be able to walk into the closer P.O. and cash them without risk of arrest....

Oh, the story also has another bad tack...so this afternoon I go to deposit the Canadian one at Chase Bank...they CLOSED my checking account! I thought it was odd I wasn't even getting a statement saying there was zero on deposit...even though they continue to send the savings statement showing I have a dollar in it. So they took it upon themselves to close the checking, and this was even before I missed the Chase Visa payment!!!

So I probably am going to take it back to the CU and wait the flippin' 50 DAYS...which makes absolutely no sense to me at all. Why can't some teller or backroom person take the M.O., CALL the number on the back, verify the funds, and make them available in a day or two??? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM????

[WhatMoney]

So I probably am going to take it back to the CU and wait the flippin' 50 DAYS...which makes absolutely no sense to me at all. Why can't some teller or backroom person take the M.O., CALL the number on the back, verify the funds, and make them available in a day or two??? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM????

You live in Texas?
OK. sorry for the TX jokes - but do you live close enough to a Texas city, I know Texas has at least 3 cities, where you could cash the money order at the main downtown post office? The larger real post offices usually have at least one or two employees, like the postmaster, who know the rules, and have $500 cash on hand.

Branch post offices in small towns and suburbs are known for employing idiots, usually the townies who remained after high school and couldn't find work anywhere else.

[raidermom]

Is the money order pink or green? The pink ones are cashable at any USPS office, the green ones are valid only in Canada.

"Canadian Postal orders in US funds (pink ones) are as good as cash when redeemed at any US. Post Office. There is no charge for cashing them at the Post Office but if you try to cash them at your bank, a fee may be charged. Some sellers have told me that their bank has tried to charge them up to $12 for cashing a foreign check. This misses the whole point of a money order. The money orders are guaranteed by the Canadian Post office."

I used to sell on Ebay, and this is listed in their seller's forums. I have myself received Canadian MO's in the past and cashed them with no problem at the local PO, and I live in a very small town.

[nickifan]

Is the money order pink or green? The pink ones are cashable at any USPS office, the green ones are valid only in Canada.

"Canadian Postal orders in US funds (pink ones) are as good as cash when redeemed at any US. Post Office. There is no charge for cashing them at the Post Office but if you try to cash them at your bank, a fee may be charged. Some sellers have told me that their bank has tried to charge them up to $12 for cashing a foreign check. This misses the whole point of a money order. The money orders are guaranteed by the Canadian Post office."

I used to sell on Ebay, and this is listed in their seller's forums. I have myself received Canadian MO's in the past and cashed them with no problem at the local PO, and I live in a very small town.

Thanks for your reply, raidermom. But now I'm really confused...I would say the color is very pale green and it segues into pale grey on the bottom...BUT, it specifically says: Postal Money Order / US DOLLAR. (And in French, too.) However, there is a tiny PINK security box in the upper left that you are supposed to "hold between thumb and forefinger; color will disappear then come back." Is that possibly what you mean? I'm afraid to touch it in case the cashing entity will want to check it.

Anyway...there is a small update: I ran into my postman and held him captive as I regaled this tale. He agrees they should cash a Canadian MO and thinks there is a "communication problem" with that clerk who says they can't. He is supposed to speak to his supervisor (also in charge of that other location) when he gets back at the end of his route day, and let me know. He agrees I should not have to go to the main PO in downtown Houston (not exactly a "small town") to get this damm thing cashed!!

And as I said, today's FedEx should be bringing me 2 or 3 AMERICAN money orders, face value around $200 each. I'd love to be able to take care of them all at one time/place!!

I know you all are losing sleep over this and I will let you know what happens!

[raidermom]

Okay, it appears that Canada Post has recently changed their money order design, so the advice I posted may not be correct. From Canada Post:

# Q. What is the difference between the peach coloured Canadian Money Order and the green coloured Canadian Money Order?
A. The new green coloured document is used only for issuance of U.S. dollar Money Orders. The peach coloured document is used for issuance in Canadian dollars or British pounds as well as for International purposes.

US dollar Canadian postal money orders are green, but international money orders are peach, but the US IS international for Canada.....sooo......confusing......I would gather that as long as it is in USD it would be fine. There's no reason for your Post Office to deny cashing it. Tell them that under the Universal Postal Union Treaty of 1864 they are obligated to.

[forgotten]

There's no reason for your Post Office to deny cashing it. Tell them that under the Universal Postal Union Treaty of 1864 they are obligated to.

If you refuse to cash this money order per the Universal Postal Union Treaty of 1864 I will interpret your actions as an act of war and respond accordingly. Now i'm asking you one last time... Will you cash this money order!?

[nickifan]

[QUOTE=raidermom; There's no reason for your Post Office to deny cashing it. Tell them that under the Universal Postal Union Treaty of 1864 they are obligated to. [/QUOTE]

If you refuse to cash this money order per the Universal Postal Union Treaty of 1864 I will interpret your actions as an act of war and respond accordingly. Now i'm asking you one last time... Will you cash this money order!?

You two are too funny! Thanks...I needed a good laugh today!

That said...if I don't get this resolved tomorrow, check your evening newscasts!

Forgotten, you forgot to add, "....will you cash this Canadian money order, EH?"

[nickifan]

Cashed!! Cashed!! Cashed!!!

Amazing...I went to my local post office yesterday afternoon expecting a battle and a long wait -- was out in a few minutes with five $100 bills!!

I had printed out the usps.com info about Canadian MO's and the toll-free number, highlighted all the salient parts, and insisted the clerk give that paper along with the MO itself to the supervisor for his verification call.

I leaned back for a long wait...she came out in about 4 minutes and said "I have your money order!"
I told her about my bad experience at their sister PO...she told the supervisor, and he suggested I file a complaint. I just may. I didn't get the names of the clerks, though.

BUT A HAPPY ENDING!!! I am trying to not touch it so I can retain the attorney!!