Can I send cash by mail?
 

Hello all,
Hasanyone tried sending cash by mail, in an envelope or in a package?
Was it received by the recipient?
Is it accepted through US mail?
Do they scan boxes and take out cash if seen inside?
What about gold?
I have some friend in need who doesn't accept money so if I send her a check , she will never cash it.
Any info is really appreciated.

I have mailed cash before, a long time ago before plastic was what's in my wallet.

I would include a note with the cash, so that if anyone at the USPS got suspicious, they could read the note and understand what's going on. If I were you I'd send it certified mail (where you get a tracking # and the person reciving the envelope has to sign for it) and get shipping insurance on the envelope as well. You can do that with anything valuable that you send through the mail- certified mail lets you know where it was and that it was recieved, and the insurance covers your butt if something happens to it (and both are really cheap).

If it's more than $50, send it certified. Definitely make sure it's in a security envelope that cannot be seen through, and drop it off directly at the post office.

As someone who's received a lot of cash via mail (thanks to my grandfathers), I never had any problem receiving it, and they never had any problem sending it :D

Thanks so much, Sage and Onesnowyowl. You set my mind at ease.

i know hallmark wouldn't make money holder cards if they weren't sendable :D

Can you put your genitals in the mouth of a crocodile? sure! is it safe to? hell no. I wouldn't ever send more than $20 through, it's just way too easy to lose.

I've mailed cash in an envelope. I folded a piece of dark construction paper and put cash inside the fold so that it wouldn't be seen with the light. It was delieved and received just fine.

you can send cash, there is no legal reason not to. as to how safe it is? there are risks, dis honest postal workers things like that. if you are going to try to make it look like something other then cash or a greeting card. someone looking for easy money is more likely to target something like that then some more boring business correspondence.
Good luck!

There are a variety of companies that provide debit cards in a specified amount. I've had fun sending them to the bar and bat mitzvahs of friends' kids. The kids feel all grown up with their own "credit cards."

If the recipient knows that the money has already gone to the company, would they use the card?

You could double up on the envelope. Put the cash in a security envelope then use either a flat-rate priority mail envelope or express mail envelope. It'll cost more to send but it's not uncommon to put an envelope into one of the Post Office provided envelopes. It would probably draw less attention then just a regular envelope that may look like a greeting card or money holder. Same for a FedEx or UPS envelope.

One of my coworkers used to be a mailman (yes, he actually delivered mail to homes). How he got into insurance is a story best saved for later, but in past conversations, he's told us numerous times that the reason that the Post Office doesn't want you to send cash is that they don't trust postal employees not to steal it. Everyone knows that sorting machines can sometimes be very hard on envelopes and sometimes things arrive already opened. The PO conducts spot checks by sending through cash and seeing if it gets where it was supposed to go intact. According to my coworker, they'll usually do something stupid like not seal the envelope or rip it open themselves revealing the cash.

There's no problem sending cash through the mail, though, if you take basic precautions.

This is excellent advice, and I have sent several thousand dollars using this method. Businesses, car dealers, lawyers, banks, etc. regularly use the USPS Flat Rate Envelopes to send important documents. I've sent cash inside of CD jewel cases and taped inside of a sheet music book. The Express (faster--costs about $15) or Priority (costs about $5) envelope just makes it look like important papers, instead of something valuable.
Lindy

How sad is that really that you have to "trick" someone into not stealing your money.

Anyway not to thread jack. I've heard just like everyone else that if you wrap your money in something i.e. newspaper your money will most likely be fine.

Thanks all for the wonderful suggestions.

when I think of all the wonderful bday cards from my grandmother with cash inside this thread makes me smile hehehe

Now I do the same thing for my nieces, hopefully they will smile about it one day