amber
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posted on August 29, 2003 10:04:24 AM new
I sell in Canada, and up to now, my bank has accepted any kind of money orders from the U.S. including U.S. domestic postal. I had a phone call from my bank today to say that they are now only accepting International money orders. My problem is that they have returned some, and I am quite sure I have some arriving in the mail. I don't want to send them back and expect people to buy another and send it again.
My question is, if I have no bank account in the U.S. can I ask my son who goes to the U.S. almost every week to cash it for me, and if so where? Obviously they are made out in my name.
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trai
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posted on August 29, 2003 10:44:32 AM new
I think your son may run into a problem trying to cash M.O. in your name. I would advice you to go down with him on his next trip and open a U.S. account and then you could just mail them to that bank.
There are a lot of no frill checking accounts that have no monthly fees with it. This may work out for you.
Have all future M.O. send to you in the international form. Why did your bank wait this long to tell you this? They should honor what you have in your account now and notify you that they can not accept any more green one's .
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amber
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posted on August 29, 2003 11:04:05 AM new
Thanks, yes, I agree that my bank should honor what I have already deposited. I am disabled, so I have to wait for my husband to return from the U.S. to take me to the bank, it would also be impossible to me to go to the U.S. with my son. I would have thought that our bank would at least have given us a grace period because of money orders already in the mail etc.
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noh2
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posted on August 29, 2003 11:29:05 AM new
how about having your son open a us bank account and you endorse those checks and let him deposit into the account?
burgerflipper,you go first!!!!!
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ewora
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posted on August 29, 2003 11:43:49 AM new
You can apply online for a Wells Fargo International Personal Banking Account.
Go to the webpage
http://www.wellsfargo.com/per/ipb/index.jhtml
[ edited by ewora on Aug 29, 2003 11:44 AM ]
It may not apply for your situation however...
[ edited by ewora on Aug 29, 2003 11:45 AM ]
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neroter12
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posted on August 30, 2003 12:58:12 AM new
I wonder why you couldnt endorse them as payment to: Your Sons name? And let him cash them in the US? or deposit them somewhere? (I think I've seen people do that. I always thought Money Orders are as good as cash).
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amber
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posted on August 30, 2003 05:58:18 AM new
Thanks for all the suggestions. I don't think it is worth opening an account in the U.S. as from now on I will tell buyers that I am unable to accept the green postal money orders. I will ask my son to check at a bank in the U.S. and see if I can endorse the ones I have in his name so that he can cash them for me. At least they might have some suggestions. My bank thought I should send them back to my buyers and ask them to send International ones. I told the "NO WAY"! When people have paid postage to send them, and are expecting their purchases, there is no way I am going to have them wait for their money order to be returned, and then purchase another and send it. I haven't finished dealing with the bank yet! Waiting until hubby returns from Ohio to take me in so that I can talk face to face!!
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toollady
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posted on August 30, 2003 06:09:57 AM new
If they are postal money orders, why not see if Canada Post will cash them for you?
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amber
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posted on August 30, 2003 07:45:35 AM new
No toollady, they won't because they are U.S. Can someone tell me if you can cash them at a U.S. bank if you don't have an account there? Will U.S. post offices cash them? I could have several arriving in the mail for quite a bit, and would hate to just waste the money. How long are they valid?
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alldings
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posted on August 30, 2003 07:59:24 AM new
I would try calling some of the other banks in your area to see if they can be of service. You might have to open an account with them. All the rules for US Postal Money Orders can be found on the USPS.com website. I do not think you can endorse a US Postal money order over to another party. The Canadian PO will not cash USA postal money orders. Your are correct in your best bet is to change your TOS to not accept US postal MO. International Money orders are easy for US customers to find. Many grocery chains,WalMart,Target,drug store chains, and others sell MO's at the service desk. I have sent perhaps a dozen of these to Canadian sellers without a problem.
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kiara
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posted on August 30, 2003 08:11:53 AM new
Amber, you should try talking to your bank manager. How long have you been with this bank? A grace period is in order here and they should have notified you.
Sometimes a simple conversation with the manager can work wonders especially if you suggest that you may have to do your banking elsewhere now.
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dacreson
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posted on August 30, 2003 09:24:34 AM new
Ahmen....
"Sometimes a simple conversation with the manager can work wonders especially if you suggest that you may have to do your banking elsewhere now." works for me several times.
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rarriffle
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posted on August 30, 2003 09:57:16 AM new
Amber, any US Postal money orders, your son could cash at any post office. My hubby cashes mine all the time with no problem at all.
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stopwhining
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posted on August 30, 2003 10:17:18 AM new
does your hubby look like you,does he have a picture id with your photo??
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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sapington
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posted on August 30, 2003 10:23:56 AM new
does your hubby look like you,does he have a picture id with your photo??
How would they know what the person looks like that the money order is made out to?
It might be worth a try to have him stop at a post office in the US. One in a smaller town would probably work better.
[ edited by sapington on Aug 30, 2003 10:54 AM ]
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amber
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posted on August 30, 2003 10:47:36 AM new
Amber, you should try talking to your bank manager. How long have you been with this bank? A grace period is in order here and they should have notified you.
I agree kiara, I have called 3 times with little help. I have been with this bank for 25 years. Problem is it a very small town, and the other bank won't take them either. It's not the fact that they have changed their policy that is irking me, it's the fact that there was no notification, just a call to say that the money orders my husband took in the day before were no longer acceptable, so the money would be removed from my account, and the m.o.'s returned to me. I am sure there are more in the mail. You are right, there should be a grace period. I tried to get the phone # of the central office, of course, they couldn't give it out. Went to the web site, no way to contact them. When I go in on Tuesday I am going to tell them that if they don't do something about it, our RSPs and saving will be removed to another bank where they take more care of their investors!
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kiara
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posted on August 30, 2003 11:19:53 AM new
Amber, next time you call the bank ask to speak directly with the manager. If they aren't in leave a message for them to call you. Don't even bother trying to deal with anyone else.
Yes, a comment about transferring your RRSP's and savings may make them take notice.
Good luck!
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KarenMx
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posted on August 30, 2003 12:28:03 PM new
How would they know what the person looks like that the money order is made out to?
If the money orders are made out to "Amber", and clerk notices that it's "Jim" attempting to cash them...he'll likely ask for ID.
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rarriffle
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posted on August 30, 2003 01:33:57 PM new
a signed money order is the same as cash. one time he did have to sign his name under my signature, end of problem.
all they can say is no...they can't eat him. if he gets them cashed, problem over. it never hurts to try.
some of the posters here just look for problems, why not look for solutions instead. you will find it makes life much easier.
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stopwhining
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posted on August 31, 2003 07:14:51 AM new
we are not looking for problems,we are offering alternatives and discussing pitfalls.
running around with other people's checks is not an ideal solution.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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rarriffle
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posted on August 31, 2003 08:29:03 AM new
stopwhining, I wasn't attacking anyone so please don't take offense.
I wasn't suggesting other peoples checks, I was talking about postal money orders. And we are not talking about other people here, we are talking about his mother.
Like I said, ask first, then see if there is a problem. A person can go through life wasting a lot of time solving problems that may never happen.
I have raised nine children and a granddaughter by teaching them the words "I Can't" do not exist. If you have tried your best and then are unsuccessful, then fine. But never, never say I can't until you have at least tried.
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Libra63
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posted on August 31, 2003 08:41:46 AM new
Can you endorse your Money Order "Pay to the order of (your husbands or sons name) and then sign your name. Then they would have to endorse it also. It works with US checking accounts. Someone screwed up in your bank, probably the teller that took the money orders and also the bank for not notifying you. Good Luck
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amber
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posted on August 31, 2003 09:08:48 AM new
Yes, I could endorse the money orders, but how does the bank know that my son didn't steal them? I certainly don't want to get him into problems. The ones taken out of my bank are still there, I have to pick them up on Tuesday. Sometimes people haven't even put my name on the money order, so I won't know until I see them. I also thought of writing a note that verifies that it is my son, and giving permission for him to cash them. I am going to try getting the bank to do something first, I am sure I am not the only person involved, quite a few other people in town sell on eBay, so hopefully they will all make a big fuss!
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stopwhining
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posted on August 31, 2003 10:12:12 AM new
the post office not a bank,the simpler the better.
the clerk knows how to weigh your package and slap a stamp on it.when it comes to money order endorsed this way and that way,it would just arouse their suspicion.
but that suggestion of opening an intl account with wells fargo seem like a good idea for future .
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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mcjane
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posted on August 31, 2003 10:31:28 PM new
Amber, I was on vacation last week & forgot to bring something. Called my husband & had him mail it priority. I sent my son to the PO,with my drivers license, to pick up the package. They gave it to him, but only because he had my drivers license.
Can you give your son some form of identification & perhaps even a letter with a signature that will match.
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sparkz
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posted on August 31, 2003 10:49:01 PM new
Your son can cash those money orders at any Post Office in the U.S. All they care about is if they are valid. They will run it through their scanner and verify it hasn't been reported lost or stolen and give you the cash. I've done it hundreds of times and never been asked for identification. The only time the post office in my town has ever asked for i.d. was when I used a credit card or picked up registered mail.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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