Criminal Defense Q&A: Can I Cash in a Blank Money Order?
Question:
I found a blank MoneyGram money order with the stub attached; can I cash it? It’s blank for $350, and the stub is still attached.
Answer:
Money orders usually require the recipient to verify their identity before the money can be received. In other words, you must prove that you are the intended recipient before the money will be disbursed to you.
Still, say there is a way to cash a money order without verification. If you know that you are not the intended recipient of the money, it would be advisable to not cash the order. Theft of lost property is a crime. Penal Code 485.
Technically, theft of lost property is committed when a person finds lost property and then fails to take reasonable steps to find the owner of the property. Penal Code 485. But, by cashing the money order instead of just returning it to MoneyGram, you are risking a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to 6 months in jail, up to a $1,000 fine, or both. Penal Code 488, 490.
Consider the security footage and documentation that can capture you in the act. Such evidence can easily be turned over to police.
Also, consider that cashing the order would deprive the intended recipient of the money just two weeks before Christmas.
Read other criminal defense attorney answers at Avvo: Can I Cash in a Blank Money Order?
Attorney Michael J. Ocampo is a former deputy district attorney. He focuses his practice exclusively on criminal law so that he can help those accused of a crime — often ordinary, everyday people — ensure that their rights are honored and that they receive a fair opportunity to be heard.
