Frequently Asked Questions

You can use Western Union services if you need to support friends or family abroad, or if you’re a traveler who needs to send money from a foreign country.

Western Union agent locations are independent businesses that provide money transfer services to their customers on behalf of Western Union. They are our representatives in the different countries you need to send or receive money. They may be banks, post offices, supermarkets, grocery stores, check cashiers, mailbox centers, drug stores, travel agencies, depots, airports, train and bus stations, currency exchange offices and other retailers.

Finding an agent location in Colombia is easy, go to our agent locator tool.

Once you get to our agent location, you will be asked to provide some information like your receiver’s first name, last name, the amount you wish to send, the country you are sending to and your valid government-issued ID; then just give the agent the total amount including the applicable fees.

You will need to present a valid government-issued ID such as:

• A National ID card
• A residence ID

You will be able to send up to 1500 USD (or its local equivalent) per transfer or up to 7500 USD (or its local equivalent) within 30 days.

Money transfers will generally be paid in cash or will be transferred directly to the receiver’s bank account, if the option is available.

Restrictions may apply. Please contact a Western Union agent to get more information about restrictions.

You can check your transfer status online. All you need is the sender’s name and the tracking number (MTCN) printed on the sender’s receipt.

Each Western Union agent location determines its own hours of operation. Some have extended hours and open during weekends.

Find a nearby Western Union agent location with our agent locator tool.

You will need to present a valid government-issued ID such as:

• A National ID card
• A residence ID

Acceptable IDs are subject to the banking laws and regulations of Colombia.

You can go to track a transfer at westernunion.com. Then type in the sender’s name and the tracking number (MTCN). You’ll get an update on the latest status of your money transfer.

You can pick up the money at any Western Union agent location. You’ll need to provide the following information:

• The sender’s full name.
• The country where the money was sent from.
• The approximate amount that was sent.
• The tracking number (MTCN)
• A valid government-issued ID

For more information, please visit your nearest Western Union agent location.

Money transfers will generally be paid in cash.

Other restrictions may apply. For more information, please visit your nearest Western Union agent location.

All fees are paid by the sender.

Registering to receive transfers in Colombia

The Government of Colombia will require you to register if you receive a transfer in Colombia that exceeds its cash and frequency limits.

If you know you need to register, you can contact Western Union’s Colombian partners, Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores, at any of the numbers below.

You can also wait for them to call you. They will try to contact you up to 3 times in the 15 days after we send the money. If Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores cannot reach you after 3 tries, we will cancel the transfer and refund the sender.

Giros y Finanzas contact numbers in Colombia (country code +57):

• National office: 018000 111 999
• Cali: (2) 518 48 00
• Bogotá: (1) 635 35 60
• Medellín: (4) 511 51 51
• Barranquilla: (5) 368 79 96
• Pereira: (6) 335 16 11

Giros y Finanzas contact numbers outside of Colombia:

• Miami (USA): +1 (786) 206 6144
• Montreal (Canadá): +1 (514) 448 1874
• Panamá: +507 833 9275

Giros y Finanzas office hours of operation, Colombia Time (COT) (UTC -5):

• Monday to Friday: 7:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Saturday, Sunday, and holidays: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Giros y Finanzas may ask you to provide the following:

• Your full name (first name, middle name, paternal name, and maternal name)
• Your date of birth
• The country and city where you were born
• The city you live in
• Your address, phone/cell numbers, and email address
• Your occupation

Acciones y Valores:

By phone at: +01 8000 111700 from anywhere in the country or from Bogota at +(57) 6 0 1 – 514 33 43
WhatsApp: +57 311 218 22 55.
Available hours:
Monday to Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

To you will need to create an online profile first. You’ll be asked to enter your personal information and to agree to our Terms and Conditions. We will send you a confirmation to the email provided and a SMS with a one-time password to the mobile phone you used for registration. If the verification is successful, you’ll be able to send money online right away. After you’ve chosen your destination country, you’ll see the types of services available to you.

No, it’s free to register.

Anyone who meets the following criteria, can use our online services.

• Have one of these government-issued IDs: National ID card or residence ID
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must accept the Terms and Conditions for using Western Union and Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores services
• Must have bank account created in Colombia
• Must have a valid phone number
• Must have a valid email address

Registration with a valid ID and phone number is possible only once.

If your profile hasn’t been verified, you can change or update your online profile.

After your profile has been verified you cannot change your name, last name, date of birth and nationality. If you require to change this information after your identity is verified, please contact Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores Customer Care at:

Giros y Finanzas:

Acciones y Valores:

By phone at: +01 8000 111700 from anywhere in the country or from Bogota at +(57) 6 0 1 – 514 33 43
WhatsApp: +57 311 218 22 55.
Available hours:
Monday to Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Your User ID is either your ID number or your e-mail address.

If you forgot your password, you can select the “Forgot password” option at the Western Union Giros y Finanzas login page or at the Acciones y Valores login page and a new password will be sent to your registered phone number or email address. Otherwise you can visit any of the Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores locations to create your new ID or Password.

You can change your phone number only at the nearest Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores agent location.

As a registered user, you can use the “forgot password” feature at the login and registration screen at Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores website and follow the security prompts to validate your information.

If you send money with Western Union Colombia, you’ll need to update your personal information on your online profile or contact the Customer Care Center by phone or email:

Giros y Finanzas:

Acciones y Valores:

By phone at: +01 8000 111700 from anywhere in the country or from Bogota at +(57) 6 0 1 – 514 33 43
WhatsApp: +57 311 218 22 55.
Available hours:
Monday to Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Please contact Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores Customer Care Center to the following numbers:

Giros y Finanzas:

Acciones y Valores:

By phone at: +01 8000 111700 nationwide or from Bogota at +571 7430167.

By email at:  servicioalclientewu@accivalores.com.

Available hours:

Monday to Saturday: From 6:30 am to 8:30 pm.

Sunday: From 8:00 am to 6:30 pm.

Yes, you will be asked to provide your ID and personal information when creating your online profile. You will receive a confirmation to the email provided and a SMS with a one-time password to the mobile phone you used for registration. If the verification is successful, you’ll be able to send money online right away.

Once your online profile is created and you receive confirmation over email and the one-time password through SMS, your details will be verified and your profile will be set to verified.

You can find all locations for physical verification online.

Be wary if you are required to pay a fee before receiving a loan. Beware of sweepstakes, prize or lottery company representatives who tell you to transfer money to them in order to claim a prize you’ve won. There are many companies running fraudulent contests that ask you to transfer them money but give you nothing in return.

Beware of unsolicited letters or emails from a Nigerian or other foreign government officials requesting assistance in the transfer of excess funds from a foreign country into your bank account.

Beware of telephone calls from the police claiming someone you know has been in an accident or arrested and is requesting money.

Beware of unsolicited letters or emails offering an unrealistic price for expensive or difficult to find merchandise.

Make sure you know to whom you are sending money. If you are purchasing goods or services and paying through the Western Union network, it is your responsibility to verify the reputation and legitimacy of the seller. Western Union is not responsible for the non-receipt or quality of any goods or services.

If you receive an email from a company representing itself as Western Union and you are not sure it was sent by Western Union, do not click on any links in the email. This may be a “phishing” attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately forward the suspicious email to spoof@westernunion.com.

Western Union will never send you an email asking for your user ID, password or credit card details.

Find out more about Fraud Protection.

The “Test Question” feature in the Western Union® Money Transfer service is designed for emergency situations where the receiver does not have proper identification (e.g. his or her wallet and identification have been stolen). It should never be used as additional security to time or delay the payment of a transfer. In many locations, Western Union will pay the receiver whenever the receiver shows proper identification, even if the receiver does not know the answer to the test question.

Western Union does not offer an escrow service or any type of “purchase protection” policy. Western Union’s business is to transfer funds from a sender to a receiver. We caution people who use our services against sending money to people they don’t know. It is the sender’s responsibility to know the party to which the funds are being sent. Using a fictitious name or changing the receiver name after the money transfer has been sent is not a guaranteed means of securing funds. If a receiver presents proper identification with the same name as on the money transfer, payment will be made.

Be wary of 3rd party “collection” or “holding” services unless they are a reputable licensed escrow service. Western Union is not an escrow service, should not be used as an escrow service and is currently not affiliated with any escrow services.

For online auctions, examine seller feedback carefully and know the warning signs associated with fraudulent auction sales. Most online auction sites have safety guidelines or FAQs that can help you identify potentially fraudulent sales. Be wary if the seller is using a free email address or insists on accepting only one form of payment. Report any suspicious activity and file non-delivery of goods complaints with the auction site through which you purchased the item.

Remember that Western Union never acts as a guarantor of an auction buyer or seller’s performance.

If you feel you have been the victim of fraud and have sent money using Western Union, call our Fraud Hotline to file a formal fraud claim with us.  We also encourage you to file with your local law enforcement, as we work directly with them on their investigation and details of the transfer.

Find out more about Fraud Protection

Western Union employs a variety of technique, including SSL technology, to keep your personal information safe.

Additionally, the following tips can help keep your password secure:

• Make your password difficult to guess. Avoid using any part of your name, your birthday, or any words that can easily be associated with you.
• Use a combination of letters and numbers, and a mix of lower case and capital letters.
• Use multiple passwords for your various accounts to decrease your risk in case one password is compromised.
• Avoid writing your password down where it may be compromised.

You can further protect your passwords by making sure that your virus-scanning software is kept up to date, and by running anti-spyware programs. These programs can help protect you from viruses or other malware that could compromise your identity even though your computer may seem to be working fine.

If you use Microsoft Windows, make sure your Windows updates are enabled to help keep your operating system protected. You can learn more about Microsoft Windows updates at&nbsphttp://www.microsoft.com.

Use extra caution when entering your password on a computer that does not belong to you. Viruses, spyware, or the browser settings might be used to compromise your profile by recording your user name and password.

For more information about how to protect yourself from fraud, visit our Fraud Awareness page

Agent locations are places where you can transfer money using Western Union. Agent locations may be in supermarkets, grocery stores, check cashers, mailbox centers, drug stores, travel agencies, depots, and other retailers. In some countries, they may be in banks, travel agencies, post offices, airports, train, and bus stations, and currency exchange offices.

Use this link to find an agent location near you.

You’ll need to provide a valid identification document, transaction details, and pay the agent the amount you want to send, plus fees, in cash.

Western Union agent locations offer the ability to send and receive money around the world using cash

You will be able to send up to 1500 USD (or its local equivalent) per transfer or up to 7500 USD (or its local equivalent) within 30 days.

The Home Delivery service is available in the following cities and locations:

Cali: Giros y Finanzas is available only for some neighborhoods between Circunvalar Av (Siloé) and Valle del Lili (Calle 54). Also, for neighborhoods between Carrera 100 and Carrera 39 (Luna). For Acciones y Valores, you can look for specific locations available in Cali.

Barranquilla: Giros y Finanzas offers its service only for neighborhoods between Calle 53 and Calle 84 and between Carreras 21 and Vía 40. Acciones y Valores does not offer its service in Barranquilla.

Bogotá: Only in Chapinero, Barrios Unidos, Teusaquillo, Usaquen, Fontibon, Suba, Kenneddy, and Puente Aranda.

Medellín: Only in Manrique, Aranjuez, Villa Hermosa, Buenos Aires, La Candelaria, and El Poblado.

Please contact Giros y Finanzas and Acciones y Valores for more detailed information on the locations where the Home Delivery service is available.

Customers of Giros y Finanzas can receive up to 800,000 COP (approximately 200 USD) per money transfer. Customers of Acciones y Valores can receive up to 8,000,000 COP (approximately 2,000 USD) per money transfer.

Here is how the Home Delivery service works:

1. Your sender needs to notify you that the money transfer has been sent.
2. You need to contact Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores to schedule the delivery.
3. A Giros y Finanzas or Acciones y Valores representative will verify the information needed to process the Home Delivery service. After the details are verified, an Efecty representative or the courier provider will arrive at your home to deliver the money.

Before handing over the money, the courier provider will verify your original government-issued ID. After a successful verification, the courier provider will obtain your signature on the money transfer receipt and take a picture of handing over the money to you.

No. Your sender only needs to transfer the money to you and provide you with the transfer details.

Western Union does not charge any fee for the Home Delivery service. Giros y Finanzas and Acciones y Valores will charge a service fee for Home Delivery. They will explain the applicable fee for this type of service to you.

While the time may vary, after you make the home delivery request to Giros y Finanzas, most transfers arrive within 24 and 48 hours at your home.

If you make the request to Acciones y Valores before 2 pm, your money transfer arrives the same day. If you request it after 2 pm, your money is delivered the next business day.

You can always reach Giros y Finanzas and Acciones y Valores Customer Care in Colombia by calling at one of the numbers below:

Giros y Finanzas:

National: 01 8000 111 999

Cali: +57 (2) 518 48 00

Bogotá: +57 (1) 635 35 60

Medellín: +57 (4) 511 51 51

Barranquilla: +57 (5) 368 79 96

Pereira: +57 (6) 335 16 11

Acciones y Valores:

National: 01 8000 111 700

Bogotá: +57 (1) 390 5586

Cali: +57 (2) 485 1170

Medellín: +57 (4) 604 0598

WhatsApp: +57 316 722 0330