I have rec'd two usps money orders and they posted on 10/15/09, I would like to know if there is an appropriate time frame to wait to make sure they are valid and cleared and is there an appropraite time frame when bank would be liable an dnot me if they are not good? For instance if I waited 10 buisness days and if check came back after that would I still be liable for funds?

The simple answer is that there is no "safe" period to wait. If the money orders are stolen, altered or counterfeit, the US Postal Service does not have to adhere to the conventional return deadlines for checks in the Uniform Commercial Code, and the money orders could get rejected and returned several weeks after being deposited. In practice, the Postal Service is fairly quick with such returns.

If you received the money orders in a scam -- such as a mystery shopper or work-at-home fraud -- you can be assured they will be counterfeit, and when they are ultimately returned unpaid to your bank or credit union, you will have to cover them.