Where in Toronto can I buy a money order in US Dollars, drawn on an American bank?

December 24, 2008 8:34 AM

Western Union no longer sells US Dollar money orders in Canada. Where in Toronto can I still buy a money order in US Dollars, drawn on an American bank? (The ones from WU were drawn on a Wells Fargo branch in Colorado) My payee won't accept postal money orders, nor money orders drawn on a Canadian bank.

CIBC and RBC used to sell money orders or drafts drawn on an American bank, but apparently they don't anymore (assuming the people I spoke to in the branches know what they're talking about).

A money order (or other form of cheque drawn on an American bank) is the preferred payment method.

posted by winston to work & money (11 comments total)

(to be more specific, they won't accept Canada Post money orders -- I actually don't know if they'll take the USPS ones)
posted by winston at 8:35 AM on December 24, 2008

this doesnt answer your question but a possible alternative solution- an international credit transfer. do you have internet banking? most allow you do to an international credit transfer into the other persons bank account for a fee of around $4-$5. we are australians living in toronto without a canadian bank account and have used this for big payments.
posted by beccyjoe at 8:57 AM on December 24, 2008

You might check with HSBC and TD, who have US operations.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:17 AM on December 24, 2008

RBC sells money orders that are drawn on their U.S. branch in New York City; I've never ran into someone in the U.S. who had a problem cashing them at their bank, but obviously the person you're dealing with might balk at the fact that it's a Canadian bank, even though it's operating in the U.S.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 9:22 AM on December 24, 2008

RBC US money orders used to be backed by Chase Manhattan, but RBC bought Centura Banks in 2001, renamed it RBC Centura, and the money orders were then backed through them. It's now named RBC Bank. As filmgoerjuan says, they should have no trouble clearing at any US bank. I've deposited many of them.
posted by Yorrick at 12:23 PM on December 24, 2008

Can you send him endorsed traveller's cheques?
posted by randomstriker at 12:37 PM on December 24, 2008

CIBC sells International Money Orders in US$ drawn on an American bank (Chase, I believe).
posted by smitt at 1:10 PM on December 24, 2008

Full disclosure: I work for the CIBC, we sell these all the time. I don't know why someone at branch level would tell you they don't have them. They are wrong.
posted by smitt at 1:11 PM on December 24, 2008

TD CanadaTrust sells ones drawn on a US bank. I've bought them many times.
posted by Manhasset at 2:02 PM on December 24, 2008

RBC's U.S. drafts are definitely drawn on Chase. I think TD's are drawn on Wells Fargo.
posted by oaf at 8:30 PM on December 24, 2008

Thanks everyone. Apparently the people answering the branch phone (perhaps not actually at the branch? I think at RBC they answered with "branch services" or something like that) don't know what's on the cheque.
posted by winston at 11:20 AM on December 29, 2008