Frequently Asked Questions

Western Union services are for anyone who needs to send or receive money quickly. From travelers, people supporting friends or relatives abroad, to business people who need to make faster international transfers.

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 cashers, mailbox centers, drug stores, travel agencies, depots, airports, train and bus stations, currency exchange offices and other retailers.

Finding an agent location in Korea is easy, you can go here.

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 want to send and the country you are sending to. Then just give the agent the total amount, including the applicable fees. Your money will be available in minutes to your receiver after the transfer is completed.

You need to present any official government issued ID (e.g. Resident ID for South Koreans, or Passport for foreigners). Alien Registration ID is also required for opening a bank account in South Korea.
You also need to present a document that shows your current or permanent address information in South Korea.
Acceptable IDs are subject to the banking laws and regulations of in South Korea.

You can send up to 7,000 USD a day in South Korea.

Money transfers will generally be paid in cash. The receiver may choose to receive funds and some money transfers may be paid directly to a bank account. Other restrictions may apply. Please visit an agent location to get more information about restrictions or you can call our Customer Care on 00798 8521 3000 (toll free), or send an email to customerservice.asia@westernunion.com.

You can check your transfer status online, all you need is the sender’s name and the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) printed on the sender’s receipt.

Each Western Union agent location have its own hours of operations. Some have extended hours and open during weekends. Find a nearby Western Union agent location here.

You can receive money in cash by visiting one our agent locations in South Korea.

You can also choose to receive money directly in your bank account by registering on the kakaobank mobile app via the electronic identity verification (eKYC) process. Download the app on App Store or Google Play.

Learn more about how to receive money in South Korea.

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

•        Name

•        The tracking number – (MTCN – Money Transfer Control Number)

•        Amount expected

•        Sender’s full name

•        Sender’s country where money was sent from

•        Acceptable ID documents are also required

Some restrictions may apply. For more information, check with your nearest Western Union agent location.

You need to present any official government issued ID (e.g. Resident ID for South Koreans, Passport for foreigners) as well as your current or permanent address information in South Korea. Acceptable IDs are subject to the Banking laws and regulations of South Korea.

With a government issued ID, you can also choose to receive money directly in your bank account by registering on the kakaobank mobile app via the electronic identity verification (eKYC) process. Download the app on App Store or Google Play.

You can find the status of your money transfer using Track a Transfer on WU.com. Or you can call our Customer Care on 00798 8521 3000 (toll free), or send an email to customerservice.asia@westernunion.com.

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

• Name
• The tracking number – (MTCN – Money Transfer Control Number)
• Amount expected
• Sender’s full name
• Sender’s country where money was sent from
• Acceptable ID documents are also required

Some restrictions may apply. For more information, check with your nearest Western Union agent location.

Money transfers will generally be paid in cash. Other restrictions may apply. Please contact a Western Union agent to get more information about restrictions, or call our Customer Care on 00798 8521 3000 (toll free), or send an email to customerservice.asia@westernunion.com.

All fees are paid by the sender. Receiving money is free of charge.

The Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) is a unique number assigned to your transfer.
You will need this number when picking up the money, or to track the transfer.

Certain countries may require your receiver to complete a one-time registration in order to pick up the money transfer. Registration procedures vary by country. Please visit the links below to learn more. You may want to send this information to your receiver via email in advance to ensure they receive the registration instructions.

Receiver location:

• Argentina
• China
• Colombia
• Jamaica

Argentina

If you receive a money transfer in Argentina, you need to complete a one-time registration within 90 days of getting it.

Also, if you receive 2 additional transfers within that 90-day period (a total of 3 transfers), you will need to register before you can pick up the third transfer.

To get you registered, we will contact you within 24 hours of the transfer at the number provided by your sender. You will be asked to provide additional identifying information on an online form used for registering transfers.

China

1. If you’re the receiver, you may need to complete a one-time registration before you can get the money.
2. If you need to register, you will be contacted within 24 hours by us at the number provided by your sender.
3. To register and confirm your identity, you will need:
   • The tracking number (MTCN).
   • To confirm your bank card number.
   • To confirm your Chinese name as it appears on your government-issued ID.
   • Your government-issued ID.
4. If the receiver cannot be contacted within 3 days, we will not be able to finish your transfer, and the sender will be issued a refund. If the receiver cannot be contacted within 3 days, we will not be able to complete the transfer, and the sender will be issued a refund.
5. You can also call Customer Care at 4008190488 or 02168664622 to provide your identity information.

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 call Western Union’s Colombian partner, Giros y Finanzas, at any of the numbers below.

You can also wait for Giros y Finanzas 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 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 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

Jamaica
To receive the money, you must register with our agent GraceKennedy. You can register online through the registration portal or visit GraceKennedy Western Union agent location in Jamaica.

To register in person at an agent location, you will need to provide the following information:

• Your full name as it appears on your government-issued ID
• Bank name
• Bank branch
• Bank account number: Please note that we can only transfer to Jamaican Dollar accounts.
• Jamaican Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN)
• A valid government-issued ID (including ID number and expiration date)
• Country of birth
• Date of birth
• Phone number (home or mobile)
• Home address (street, city, town, or parish)
• Occupation
• Your email address
• Proof of ownership of your bank account. The following forms are acceptable:
  • Bank statement
  • Cancelled cheque (if the account being registered is a current account)
  • Account passbook

To register online, you will also need to provide the following information along with the above requested information:

• Back and front pictures of your government-issued ID
• A picture of your TRN card or TRN letter
• A selfie of you holding your ID card immediately below your chin
• Picture of your proof of address
• Screenshot of your online banking portal with your name and account number clearly visible

Note: If you are registering at an agent location, these documents will be scanned into the registration system and returned to you.

GraceKennedy will complete the verification within 2 business days to make sure the receiver owns the given bank account. If there are any issues with your registration, you will receive an SMS, email, or phone call from the agent to address and correct it.

Please note that if your registration is not complete, the transfer may be canceled within 7 days.

Yes. Only use Western Union to send money to friends and family. Never send money to someone you have not met in person. Scammers sometimes encourage people to transfer money. Do not transfer money to anyone who asks you to send them money:

• For an emergency situation you haven’t confirmed.
• For an online purchase.
• For anti-virus protection.
• For a deposit or payment on a rental property.
• To claim lottery or prize winnings.
• To pay taxes.
• For a donation to charity.
• For a mystery shopping asignment.
• For a job opportunity.
• For a credit card or loan fee.
• To resolve an immigration matter.

If you transfer money, the person you’re sending it to gets the money quickly. After the money is paid, Western Union may not be able to give you a refund, even if you are the victim of fraud, except under limited circumstances.

If you receive an email from anyone claiming to be from Western Union and you are unsure about it, do not click on any links in the mail. This may be a “phishing” attempt to acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately forward the suspicious mail to customerservice.asia@westernunion.com Western Union will never send you e-mails to ask for your user ID, password, or credit card details

In some countries senders are asked to provide a ‘Test Question’ and its answer when they initiate the transfer. In cases where a ‘Test Question’ was provided by the sender, the receiver may be required to give the answer when picking up the funds.

he ‘Test Question’ feature is designed for emergency situations where the receiver still needs to provide proper identification. It should never be used as additional security or to delay payment. In many places, we’ll pay the receiver whenever the receiver shows proper identification, even if he/she does not know the answer to the question. Test question is not available for payout in South Korea.

You should contact the Western Union Fraud Hotline at 0079885212590 immediately for assistance with a transaction that you believe was sent for fraud. You should also file a report with your local law enforcement. You should also contact your government’s Office of Consumer Affairs and police station if you are uncertain or suspicious of a telephone, mail, or e-mail solicitation

• Always make sure you know who you are sending money to.
• Discontinue a call if a caller coaches you to respond to questions asked by Western Union.
• Security is everyone’s responsibility. Stay informed. Keep abreast of new fraud trends.
• Remember, if it seemts too-good-to-be-true, it probably is.
• For more information about how to protect yourself from fraud, click here

To protect our customers, we review every money transfer to make sure it’s safe. For a variety of reasons, we may ask you to provide us with more information before we can allow you to continue using our services.

We need additional information to understand why you use Western Union and the relationship between you and the person or entities you’re transacting with. The more information you provide, the quicker we’ll be able to complete your request.

To have access to our services again, follow the steps below:

1. Gather the required documents. Please note that these will vary depending on your reason for using Western Union and your relationship to the person or entities you’re transacting with. At minimum you must be prepared with your government-issued photo ID, documents that relate to your purpose for using Western Union, proof of the source of the funds, and any additional documents that may provide support for the answers provided on the questionnaire. For more information, go to Help section at westernunion.com.
2. Go to westernunion.com/gcr and start the customer questionnaire.
3. Complete the customer questionnaire:

• Personal information:
  – Provide your first, middle (optional) and last names as they appear on your ID.
  – Share your current email, physical address and mobile number. Please make sure you provide an active email address for communication purposes.
  – Specify your country of birth.
  – Select your occupation and provide additional clarification if needed.
  – Enter a recent tracking number (MTCN) if available.
  – Upload a copy of your valid government-issued photo ID.
• Relationships:
  – List people or entities you’ve transacted with using Western Union.
  – For each person or entity, enter the full name, relationship, purpose of transaction and upload supporting documents.
• Source of funds:
  – Choose the source of funds from the drop-down list and upload supporting documents.
• Third party details (if you are transacting on behalf of someone else) (if applicable):
  – Explain the purpose of transaction(s) and your relationship to the third party.
  – Provide the details related to the third party.
• Fraud (if applicable):
  – Indicate if you’ve been a victim of fraud or scam.
  – If yes, share a brief description of what happened.

4. Review the accuracy of the information you provided.
5. Select Submit questionnaire to complete the process.

a. Valid government-issued photo ID is needed to verify your identity.

• Examples: passport, driver’s license, national ID.

b. Source of funds is needed to make sure that the money transfers are not related to illegal acts and correspond to the nature of your activity.

• Examples: at least the latest 3 months of bank statements, at least the latest 3 months of pay slips, employment contract with salary, loan papers, sale agreement, winning receipt, tax return statement, etc.

c. Purpose of money transfer or intended use of money is needed to understand the basis for making the payment and the type of relations between the sender and the payee.

• Examples:
  • Personal remittance/family support – the following documents are suitable to prove relationship: pictures with persons you transacted with, marriage certificate, counterparty’s birth certificate, counterparty’s government issued ID, etc.
  • Business remittance/payment for goods/services – bills, receipts, sale or purchase agreements, etc.
  • Education – evidence of tuition fees, etc.
  • Medical expenses – hospital bills, pharmacy receipts, health insurance premiums, etc.
  • Charity support – written acknowledgment from the charity, etc.
  • Purchase home – purchase agreement, mortgage documents, etc.
  • Gift – receipts, etc.
  • Travel expenses – travel tickets, hotel bookings, etc.

d. Third party activity (sending or receiving money on behalf of individual or business) information is needed to understand the purpose and nature of your relationship with Western Union.

• Examples: business registration documents, letter of authorization by the company or notary, bank statement showing access to third party funds, etc.

After we’ve received your completed questionnaire and required documentation, we’ll email you a response within 3 business days.

In case we have additional questions, we may contact you via the email address provided in the questionnaire.

We’re committed to the security of your personal information. We use organizational, technical and administrative safeguards that comply with applicable government laws and regulations to secure your personal information. We also restrict access to the personal information that we process to only our employees, agents and representatives that have a business need to know it. For more information, read our Terms and Conditions and Online Privacy Statement.