Western Union

[Omega1982]

I've been traveling to the fsu since 2012.  This year I decided to visit Spain, Morocco and Turkey.  There's been a couple of women I've been somewhat serious with which for whatever reason I've sent maybe $100 or $200 for a birthday, a daughters birthday or something else.  I've also paid a travel agent and a driver I had in Moscow through Western Union.  Always in the low hundreds.  When I would go in person to make a transfer there was always some silly woman asking me do you know the person you're sending to.  Once I was sending like $50 to my good friend Katya in Belarus to pay for the letter of invitation which was like $20 and I figured I'd give her an extra $30 for her efforts.  Katya is a woman that has helped me tremendously and has also taught me a lot of Russian.  I thought that question was out of place, especially for a small amount. So then I decided to make the next transaction online.  Last week I tried to make a transaction for $150 and I got an e mail that the transaction was on hold and that they needed a copy of my driver's license to verify who I am.  I didn't want to sent the id over the internet so I went in person and then they diredcted me to the 1/800 number which then directed me to the e mail once again so I had to send it.  By this time I decided to cancel the transaction but I wanted to show them that it was me and that my account was not hacked.  Is this normal?  Why would a person have to go through all these troubles for a transaction in the low hundreds us.  Its always small amounts which I send and I don't send every month.  But sometimes things come up like once that I had to send $60 to an apartment owner from Siberia for some miscellaneous expense I forgot to pay, I  think it was two airport transfers which I requested.  Have we become this paranoid in the us of a? 

[AvHdB]

I would try to use MoneyGram. I have not used Western Union in maybe five years because of customer service became challenged with stupid questions. For what is worth Money Gram is cheaper.

As I understand on the receivers side less issues and for the sender rather simple a phone at CVS.

[SL0413]

I agree with Av - use moneygram.

I used WU to send money to my niece in Huston - don't ask, long story - and they gave me a hard time when attempting it online.  I eventually went to a Rite Aid pharmacy and handed them cash to send - any other method was a hassle.  The all-cash transaction went fine, albeit with a hefty fee.

I used moneygram recently and that was a breeze. 

[msmoby]

I wouldn't use either

Transferwise.com - by the founders of SKYPE - far better and cheaper

[andrewfi]

I think it is safe to say that you probably fit the profile of people flagged for checks in order to save some men from themselves. (multiple, non-negligible payments to multiple women in Russia, Ukraine, China etc.)

Guys sending money via Western Union to bints various in other countries is something of a cliche and caused WU a bit of negative PR a while back. Although it might seem reasonable to assume that adult men are able to know what they are doing there were enough usaians who complained that they were not being protected from their own foolishness that WU felt forced to start asking men questions designed to protect them from their own silliness.

[Contrarian]

I think it is safe to say that you probably fit the profile of people flagged for checks in order to save some men from themselves. (multiple, non-negligible payments to multiple women in Russia, Ukraine, China etc.)

Guys sending money via Western Union to bints various in other countries is something of a cliche and caused WU a bit of negative PR a while back. Although it might seem reasonable to assume that adult men are able to know what they are doing there were enough usaians who complained that they were not being protected from their own foolishness that WU felt forced to start asking men questions designed to protect them from their own silliness.

 

[Manny]

I wouldn't use either

Transferwise.com - by the founders of SKYPE - far better and cheaper

Does that work into Russia now? Is one forced to send dollars or anything else daft?

[andrewfi]

Here's your Transferwise info: https://transferwise.com/help/article/2232262/other-european-transfers/rub-transfers

There's some restrictions due to sanctions and some funny stuff related to technical banking stuff in Russia but, yes, you can send roubles to people (but not businesses) in Russia. The personal account restriction is probably not insurmountable either for many transactions.

[Gipsy]

What about the VO Code, or are they not using one??

Also, does a resident receiving the funds need to declare them in their tax returns??

[msmoby]

Nope, no probs sending UK ( Sterling ) Pounds to Russian Bank cards (  Sberbank / Raiffeisen )  - just Raiffeisen asking dumb questions to cover their asses re money laundering - then 'pretending' they never received correspondence explaining - in detail - the origin of the money in the UK and what it was far in Russia

Id sent before 10:00 GMT - normally arrives in Russia in the afternoon - same day

Once setup - FAR better / cheaper than the WU / Moneygram method and better exchange rates ....


It works on the principle of matching transfers ... 'My' £'s never leave the UK and someone else's Roubles stay in Russia .... no forex - it's peer to peer banking

[msmoby]

What about the VO Code, or are they not using one??

'

If paying to a Bank the Swift and Bic ( 'BIK' ] are required with full name and Patronymic, in Cyrillic - with a reference

If paying to a bank card -the name is as per the card ( Latin characters )  phone number, address and email address - thereafter - it's just a question of clicking on the payee

The first transaction might take a day longer - thereafter it's smooth - unless the receiving bank play up

Also, does a resident receiving the funds need to declare them in their tax returns??

From their Spouse or partner registered at their address ?

[msmoby]

Incidentally,

Transferwise can be used to send  UAH ( Ukraine ) to personal and biz - but only to PrivatBank clients

It list other nations, here:

https://transferwise.com/help/article/1570071/basic-information/supported-countries

If you want to send money to other EU nations I'd advise using Opal Transfer

https://www.opaltransfer.com/en/send-money-to-ukraine-online

[Steveboy]

My wife is always in the Western Union office, well the bank actually , but we have to chop and change non stop what banks we go to, I often go along with her (Just in case she does a runner) 
Our problem is we have money sent from all sorts of places, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Liberia , Egypt and many other countries, the wife starts getting funny looks from some people behind the counter , so have  to leave that place and try another..

[Manny]

Our problem is we have money sent from all sorts of places, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Liberia , Egypt and many other countries, the wife starts getting funny looks from some people behind the counter , so have  to leave that place and try another..

They'll be thinking, "Oh here's one of those women who write lots of letters about 'cozy home' and how she wants to 'arrive to' Togo or someplace to sweep up after Abdul's camel".

[msmoby]

My wife is always in the Western Union office, well the bank actually , but we have to chop and change non stop what banks we go to, I often go along with her (Just in case she does a runner) 
Our problem is we have money sent from all sorts of places, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Liberia , Egypt and many other countries, the wife starts getting funny looks from some people behind the counter , so have  to leave that place and try another..

Never got the impression you were that worried, to BE concerned what others thought, steveboy !

Jut as well you have your FSB 'mate' ... they'd be thinking you were a 'terrorist' 

[Steveboy]

My wife is always in the Western Union office, well the bank actually , but we have to chop and change non stop what banks we go to, I often go along with her (Just in case she does a runner) 
Our problem is we have money sent from all sorts of places, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Liberia , Egypt and many other countries, the wife starts getting funny looks from some people behind the counter , so have  to leave that place and try another..

Never got the impression you were that worried, to BE concerned what others thought, steveboy !

Jut as well you have your FSB 'mate' ... they'd be thinking you were a 'terrorist' 

No Im not worried about anyone or what they think! Never have been, Im a Lord to myself answerable to none..

Just how I like it..

[2tallbill]

Is this normal?

Because of crime, law enforcement requires that people sending money
identify themselves. The cost of doing that is expensive so Western Union
automates it as much as possible. So they force you to the internet to
verify yourself.

Western Union has a fairly secure system but they value keeping their costs
low more than they value your convenience or your security/privacy. 

My wife or I go to Walmart once a week. When we need to send money we
will split up and I go to the check cashing area and send money by Moneygram.
The very first time it's a pain, you have to fill out a form. The second time you
just show them your drivers license and tell them your phone number along with
how many dollars to Mamma or whoever.

They offer to send the money in dollars or Euro's.

NOTE: The people who work at the Walmart money center don't have advanced
degrees in finance or geography. They will ask you if you want to send the money
Store to store or Walmart to Walmart for less money. The person could pick up the
money in any one of 60,000 Walmart locations!!

Obviously this would be cool if they had a Walmart in Novosibirsk or Kiev but they
don't do business in Eastern Europe so don't fall for that.

[msmoby]

Moneygram is expensive and 'slow' compared to paysend.com, Beel .. try it !

[Steveboy]

Is this normal?

Because of crime, law enforcement requires that people sending money
identify themselves. The cost of doing that is expensive so Western Union
automates it as much as possible. So they force you to the internet to
verify yourself.

Western Union has a fairly secure system but they value keeping their costs
low more than they value your convenience or your security/privacy. 

My wife or I go to Walmart once a week. When we need to send money we
will split up and I go to the check cashing area and send money by Moneygram.
The very first time it's a pain, you have to fill out a form. The second time you
just show them your drivers license and tell them your phone number along with
how many dollars to Mamma or whoever.

They offer to send the money in dollars or Euro's.

NOTE: The people who work at the Walmart money center don't have advanced
degrees in finance or geography. They will ask you if you want to send the money
Store to store or Walmart to Walmart for less money. The person could pick up the
money in any one of 60,000 Walmart locations!!

Obviously this would be cool if they had a Walmart in Novosibirsk or Kiev but they
don't do business in Eastern Europe so don't fall for that.

Obviously this would be cool if they had a Walmart in Novosibirsk or Kiev but they
don't do business in Eastern Europe so don't fall for that.

Now that is a great idea!!!! Best I have heard of! So instead of sending any money, you could just order some groceries and they collect the groceries each week paid for..

I think that would probably put 50% of the scammers out of business..

[2tallbill]

Moneygram is expensive and 'slow' compared to paysend.com, Beel .. try it !

I will talk to Angel Eyes about it