Other Criminal Charges & Offenses Postal money order

[Ladynice]

I found a postal money order in the trash for 26 dollars. It was issues in feb 2014. It was blank and had everything attached. I figure it would be okay to cash. Am I going to jail?

 

[disagreeable]

Possibly yes. You illegally converted funds not belonging to you. If the purchaser filed for a replacement as lost, you have now illegally appropriated Federal Gov't money.

 

[Ladynice]

Possibly yes. You illegally converted funds not belonging to you. If the purchaser filed for a replacement as lost, you have now illegally appropriated Federal Gov't money.

SO what do i do now? I cashed it at the post office.

 

[army judge]

SO what do i do now? I cashed it at the post office.

If the authorities visit you, you simply say: "I wish to remain silent and would like a lawyer, please."
Then you remain calm, be polite, but no matter what they do, DON'T DISCUSS ANY ASPECT of the money order caper!
Blabbing will only get you deeper in the pile of smelly POO.
In the meantime, you wait, stay out of any additional trouble.
It was only for a few bucks, I doubt they'll look TOO hard for you.

 

[Ladynice]

what is the time frame i am looking at. days/months/years that it could come back

 

[army judge]

what is the time frame i am looking at. days/months/years that it could come back

We're talking the federal government here, a quasi-federal agency, the USPS.
If anything happens, it'll be six months or more.
It was one $26 money order, not a massive fraud.
In fact, the item you found was not made out to anyone.
It would be akjin to finding a check made out to BEARER or CASH.
I think you'll never hear anything about the money order.
The original purchaser didn't do as instructed and make the item out immediately after purchase.
If it ever happens again, however, you might want to leave it be.

 

[Ladynice]

NO! It was blank and had a customer receipt attached to it. I really did not think anything of it cause it was 26 dollars. When I cash everything was fine it was not flagged and it was purchases on 02/01/2014. I am just really scared. I have no criminal record and I just do not know what to do.

 

[Ladynice]

the customer receipt was blank as well

 

[army judge]

NO! It was blank and had a customer receipt attached to it. I really did not think anything of it cause it was 26 dollars. When I cash everything was fine it was not flagged and it was purchases on 02/01/2014. I am just really scared. I have no criminal record and I just do not know what to do.

You'll be just fine.
As I said, and you repeated, it was a very small sum.
It was also blank, so you didn't commit fraud.
It was as if you found and cashed a check made out to CASH.
That would not be illegal to negotiate such an item.
I see nothing illegal in what you did, if all is as you've said it to be.
You'll likely never hear about this again.
Go in peace, my child, and live your life.

 

[Ladynice]

Thank you. You put my mind at ease a little