The legitimacy of money orders you receive can be a concern. Just as with real cash or with checks, there are people all over designing fake money orders. If you ever have a doubt about the legitimacy of a money order you receive, call the issuing company for verification. Also, check for telltale signs of a counterfeit money order such as: - The amount area looks as if it’s been altered - The dollar amount is too high; over $1,000 - The money order doesn’t contain a watermark; Western Union, MoneyGram and USPS all put watermarks on their money orders If the money order someone is trying to give you doesn’t look right, refuse to accept it and ask for cash instead.