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to a ward when declared incompetent by a court. They will be paid only to the committee, guardian, or other duly authorized person.

(6) To minors. A money order payable to a minor may be paid to the father or mother as natural guardian unless prohibited by court order.

(e) When orders will not be paid(1) When there is a second endorsement. A money order with more than one endorsement is invalid. For proper procedure to obtain a duplicate, see § 171.1(g) (1).

(2) When there is a question on a COD parcel. No payment will be made when a money order has been issued in return for a COD parcel, and is presented by the addressee (purchaser) and the money order has not been endorsed by the payee (shipper) or the payee has not expressly authorized payment to the purchaser by written approval.

(f) Examination of the order. The postal employee shall examine the order to see that:

(1) It is not a form reported stolen. If it is, he shall try to delay the person; immediately notify local police, nearest postal inspector, or postal inspector in charge; and hold order for instructions.

(2) It is properly stamped and drawn by the issuing office. Machine-issued orders are payable in the amount imprinted by the machine and for no more than the amount stamped between the words "not valid for more than" and the word "pay."

(3) It does not bear any alterations or

erasures.

(4) It is presented by the payee, endorsee, or purchaser. (A duplicate money order is payable only if presented by the payee or by his endorsee.) Money orders may be accepted from responsible individuals or business firms bearing rubberstamp endorsements, provided a specimen of the form of endorsement to be so used is filed with the postmaster over the signature of the individual, or an authorized officer of the company, accepting responsibility for the payment of orders so endorsed.

If in doubt as to the date or amount on a domestic order, an inquiry shall be sent to the issuing postmaster for verification, using POD Form 31, Office Memorandum.

(g) Identification of payee. If the payee presenting the money order is not personally known to the postal employee, he must prove his identity. Social security

cards are not acceptable. Drivers permits, military identification cards, or other credentials showing signature of bearer and having serial numbers or other indicia which can be traced to the holder are helpful in identification. The owner must sign the money order in the presence of the postal employee. The postal employee shall compare signature with identification, if possible; shall enter on the back of the order the license or serial number and full description of the identification, including street address, city, and State; and shall also initial the back of the order. This will aid in apprehending persons attempting forgery or other wrong payment. If the postal employee has taken proper care under the circumstances, the Department will recommend that he be relieved of financial responsibility for wrong payment. This procedure must be followed carefully in the case of endorsed money orders, as they might bear a forged endorsement and be in the hands of the wrong person.

(h) Disposition of paid orders. The postal employee shall put the office dating stamp and his initials on the back of the money orders paid and handle them as postal funds. When a patron regularly presents a large number of money orders for payment, write to Bureau of Finance and Administration, Money Order Division, for special instructions on handling.

(i) Cashing money orders issued by foreign countries. Money orders issued in countries listed in § 171.2(a) (7), either with or without an advice, and money orders issued by the International Money Order Branch for the countries listed in §§ 171.2(a) (8) and (9), are valid for 1 year from the last day of the month of original issue. Except for the period of validity, payment shall be made in accordance with instructions covering domestic money orders. Canadian domestic money orders may be paid only if they show a U.S. office of payment and the amount is expressed in U.S. funds. (39 U.S.C. 505) [32 F.R. 20642, Dec. 21, 1967 as amended at 34 F.R. 13871, Aug. 29, 1969] § 171.4 Inquiries.

(a) Who may receive information. Information about money order transactions may be given to purchaser, payee, or endorsee, or their agent, or to a representative of the Department. Compliance with requests from others must be authorized by Headquarters. (See § 113.1 (a) and (e) of this chapter.)

(b) Inquiries

regarding payment. Postal employees shall handle as follows: (1) Orders issued on domestic form. Send Form 6401 to the Money Order Division. Do not accept until 60 days after the issue date of the money order.

(2) Orders issued on international form. Send Form 6684, "Inquiry concerning international money order issued in the United States," to International Money Order Branch, Post Office Department, General Accounting Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20260, for order issued in the United States. Do not accept until 30 days after the issue date of the money order.

(3) Orders issued by other countries. Send directly to the country of origin all inquiries, applications for duplicates and requests for photostats of money orders issued in countries with which business is conducted on the domestic-international basis. See § 171.2(a) (7) for addresses. (39 U.S.C. 505) [32 F.R. 20642, Dec. 21, 1967, as amended at 33 F.R. 6934, May 8, 1968] § 171.5 Requests for photostats of paid money orders.

A photostat of a paid money order will be furnished to the purchaser, payee or endorsee by the Money Order Division upon payment of a charge of 30 cents. Form 6065, Request for Photo Copy of Money Order, shall be completed to show the name and address of the person or firm applying for the photostat. The photostat will be mailed directly to the applicant. The charge for the photostat shall be accounted for by affixing and canceling 30 cents in postage stamps on the back of Form 6065 to the left of the Money Order Division address. Money orders are destroyed 2 years after payment, and photostats cannot thereafter be furnished.

[34 FR. 1722, Feb. 5, 1969]

§ 171.6 Wrong payment.

(a) Through error only. If a money order intended for one person or firm is paid to another through error and without fraudulent intent and both parties live in the same city, the postal employee may recover the amount from the one wrongly paid and deliver it to the other. If impractical to settle in this manner, he shall report the case to the Money Order Division for adjustment.

(b) Through alleged fraud. When improper payment is alleged, the postal employee shall obtain the photostat of the paid order for examination. No fee

for the photostat of the money order is required in such case. If the claimant denies proper payment, he must complete Form 6337, Affidavit Relative to Alleged Wrong Payment of a Money Order, in duplicate. The postal employee shall send the two copies of the completed Form 6337 with the photostat of the paid order to the postal inspector in charge.

[29 F.R. 2758, Feb. 27, 1964, as amended at 31 F.R. 4208, Mar. 10, 1966. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

§ 171.7 Nonpostal money orders.

(a) Postmasters and employees shall not sell nonpostal money orders, checks, or similar instruments for the transmission of money.

(b) Nonpostal money orders that are sold by contract and personnel rural stations and branches shall be separate from the postal operations and shall not be identified with that function.

[31 F.R. 11101, Aug. 20, 1966. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 171.8 Payments to

banks through

Federal Reserve System.

(a) Presentation for payment. Banks may present money orders for payment through the Federal Reserve System.

(b) Definitions. (1) "Money order" means a U.S. Postal Money Order.

(2) "Federal Reserve Bank" means a Federal Reserve Bank or branch thereof which presents a money order for payment by the Postmaster General.

(3) "Presenting bank” means a bank which presents a money order to, and receives credit therefor from a Federal Reserve Bank.

(4) "Reclamation" means the action taken by the Postmaster General to obtain refund of the amounts of paid money orders.

(5) "Examination" includes examination of money orders for indicia of theft, forged endorsements, forged signatures or initials of issuing personnel, raised amounts, and other material defects by means of electronic methods and also visual inspection for discovery of defects which cannot be electronically discovered.

(6) "Stolen money order" means a U.S. Postal Money Order which has been stolen from a post office, classified or contract station or branch or postal employee before it has been officially issued by the post office, classified or contract station or branch or by a postal employee

in the course of discharging his official duties.

(c) Payment. The Postmaster General has the usual right of a drawee to examine money orders presented for payment by banks through the Federal Reserve System and to refuse payment of money orders and shall have a reasonable time after presentation to make such examination. Provisional credit shall be given to the Federal Reserve Bank when it furnishes the money orders for payment by the Postmaster General. Money orders shall be deemed to be paid only after examination has been fully completed subject to the right of the Postmaster General to make reclamation as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section.

(d) Endorsements. The presenting bank and the endorser of a money order presented for payment are deemed to guarantee to the Postmaster General that all prior endorsements are genuine, whether or not an express guarantee to that effect has been placed on the money order. When an endorsement has been made by a person other than the payee personally, the presenting bank and the endorser are deemed to guarantee to the Postmaster General, in addition to other warranties, that the person who so endorsed had unqualified capacity and authority to endorse the money order on behalf of the payee.

(e) Reclamation. The Postmaster General shall have the right to demand refund from the presenting bank of the amount of a paid money order if, after payment, the money order is found to have been stolen, or to bear a forged or unauthorized endorsement, or to contain any material defect or alteration which was not discovered upon examination. Such right includes, but is not limited to, the right to make reclamation of the amount by which a genuine money order bearing a proper and an authorized endorsement has been raised. Such right shall be exercised within a reasonable time after the Postmaster General discovers that the money order has been stolen, or bears a forged or unauthorized endorsement, or is otherwise defective. If refund is not made by the presenting bank within 60 days after demand, the Postmaster General shall take such ac

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The sale of documentary internal revenue stamps at post offices was discontinued at the close of business December 31, 1967. Persons desiring to purchase, exchange, or redeem the documentary stamps shall be referred to the nearest District Collector of Internal Revenue. [34 F.R. 9388, June 14, 1969]

§ 172.2 Migratory-bird hunting stamps.

(a) Where sold. Migratory-bird hunting stamps are sold at all first- and second-class post offices, and at certain designated third- and fourth-class offices where there is a demand for them. A current migratory-bird poster shall be displayed in the lobby.

(b) Price. Migratory-bird hunting stamps cost $3 each.

(c) Instructions on administration of the law. Postal employees must not instruct purchasers of migratory-bird hunting stamps on matters relating to the administration of the law. Refer them to the Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 20240, or to the local game warden.

(d) Redemption from public. Stamps shall not be redeemed from the public except unsold stamps returned, within 30 days after close of season, from persons regularly engaged in retailing hunting or fishing equipment or from persons authorized to sell State or county hunting or fishing licenses. Stamps validated by signature or stamps that appear to have been removed from a hunting li

cense or identification card shall not be accepted.

(e) Accounting for stamps. (1) Receipt to evidence payment shall not be issued if no stamps are available.

(2) Money from sales shall be treated as postal funds.

(3) Refunds shall be made from postal funds, and redeemed stock shall be treated as nonsalable.

[26 F.R. 11601, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 30 F.R. 8622, July 8, 1965. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

§ 172.3 United States savings stamps.

(a) Availability. United States savings stamps may be purchased at any post office where there is a demand for them. Postmasters sell savings stamps to business houses, schools, institutions, or other organizations that desire to purchase them for resale. Postmasters will furnish savings stamps for schools without prepayment, on a consignment or a fixed-credit basis, to selected volunteer workers who shall be established as Treasury savings stamp agents. These agents will be qualified by State directors of the United States Savings Bonds Division of the Treasury Department. Detailed information and the name and address of State directors may be obtain from postmasters.

(b) Denominations. Savings stamps are furnished in sheets in denominations of 10, 25, and 50 cents, and $1 and $5. The 25-cent stamps are also available bound in books. "Gift books" of ten 25cent savings stamps sell for $2.50; and "gift books" of twenty 25-cent stamps for $5. Stamps in these books are not detached and sold separately, but they must be detached and affixed in an album before they may be redeemed at a post office.

(c) Savings-stamp albums. Savings stamps will not be redeemed until stuck in an album of the appropriate denomination. Savings-stamp albums for each denomination are furnished free by postmasters to schools, individuals, and nonprofit organizations. Postmasters will not furnish business concerns with savings-stamp albums in any quantity. The 10-cent albums may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. The albums sell for 5 cents

per single album or at a special quantity price of $1.50 for 100 albums.

(d) Payment for stamps by purchaser. If payment is made by check, delivery of stamps may be delayed until check has cleared. Postal employees shall dispose of funds received in payment of stamps as postal funds.

(e) Redemption from public. (1) Payment to bearer. Savings stamps are transferable, and are payable to bearer at any post office if affixed to albums or on cards designed for the purpose. Postal savings stamps formerly sold shall also be redeemed if mounted in an album or on cards. Savings stamps will be redeemed for cash if presented by banks and other institutions that have accepted them in payment for United States savings bonds. Payment shall be made out of postal funds.

(2) Cancellation of redeemed stamps. Postal employees shall enter the value of savings stamps in each album on the back cover of the album in the space provided, or near the top if no specific space, and place a clear impression of the post office dating stamp nearby. They shall cancel redeemed stamps promptly after acceptance. The stamps shall not be defaced or mutilated.

(3) Disposition of redeemed stamps. Postal employees shall submit redeemed savings stamps to main office with Form 1412, "Daily Cash Report", where used.

(f) Mutilated stamps. (1) The postmaster will accept at face value any savings stamp that has been torn, burned, or badly mutilated, when one or more fragments can be identified as constituting clearly more than one half of the same stamp. If the fragment or fragments are not so identifiable, the owner should send them (with the entire album, if the stamp had been stuck in an album before it was mutilated) to the Treasurer of the United States, Washington, D.C. 20220.

(2) If stamps have adhered to each other so that they cannot be separated and their value determined (which can usually be done by soaking the stamps in warm water), the owner should forward them to the Treasurer of the United States.

[26 F.R. 11601, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 32 F.R. 3096, Feb. 21, 1967; 34 F.R. 9388, June 14, 1969. Redesignated at 30 F.R. 8622, July 8, 1965; further redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

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(b) Application for bonds. "Application for U.S. Savings Bonds", Form 920, is supplied by the postmaster. The purchaser must state on the form, by denomination, the number of bonds applied for, the total amount of the purchase, and the name and address to be inscribed on the face of the bond. Form 920 may also be used in applying for bonds by mail to a Federal Reserve bank or to the Treasury Department.

(c) Acceptance of funds. Funds shall be accepted the same as for money orders. (See § 171.1(b) (3) of this chapter.) If the postal employee does not want to accept a check, he shall advise the patron that a check will be accepted by the Treasury Department or a Federal Reserve bank in the purchase of bonds by mail. If a check is accepted and it fails to clear, the purchaser must either make the check good or return the bond. If neither the money nor the bond can be recovered, the post office shall notify the postal data center. No money may be accepted for bonds unless they are available for immediate delivery. Funds received shall be treated as postal funds.

(d) Issuance of bonds-(1) Authority to issue. Bonds may be issued at post offices in the names of natural persons in their own right only. Persons desiring to purchase them in other forms of registration authorized by Treasury Department Circular 530 may obtain them from

Federal Reserve Banks and Branches and from the Treasury Department, Washington, D.C., 20220.

(2) Accepting applications. The postal employee shall check Form 920, “Application for United States Savings Bonds", to see that inscription requested is in a form authorized by the latest edition of Treasury Department Circular 530 (circular may be obtained from the regional controller); write serial number of issued bond on Form 920; initial; and file alphabetically.

(3) Filling out bonds. The postal employee shall:

(i) Issue bonds in the names of individuals only, as follows:

(a) One person: "John A. Jones." (b) Two persons-coownership form: "John A. Jones or Mrs. Ellen S. Jones". (c) Two persons-beneficiary form: "John A. Jones, payable on death to Miss Mary L. Jones". Payable on death may be abbreviated as p.o.d.

(ii) Use a typewriter if available and fill out the bond and stub in one operation.

(iii) Enter the full names on the bond and stub. Men's names may be preceded by any applicable title. Women's names must be preceded by Mrs. or Miss. A married woman's own given name must be used, not that of her husband.

(iv) Enter the full address of the owner on the bond. The address of the coowner or beneficiary is not necessary.

(v) Enter the month and year in the upper right corner of both the bond and the stub. Stamp the date of issue with the post office dating stamp in the circles provided on the bond and its stub.

(vi) Be sure that all entries are legible and exactly the same on the bond and its stub.

(vii) Detach stub from bond. Deliver bond to purchaser and retain stub for submission by postmaster with his accounting period bond report.

(4) Errors on bonds. (i) If an error is discovered on a bond after it is issued, it should be returned to the postmaster for correction. If returned during the accounting period of issue, and if the error was made by the postmaster, he shall spoil the bond and stub, write the name of the office on them, and issue a new bond in its stead. He shall correct his records if necessary.

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