Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the Western Union direct to bank account service is an easy and convenient way to send funds directly to your receiver’s bank account in selected countries.

You can use our country list to find out in which countries this service is available. You’ll also find all the necessary information to complete a transfer directly to a bank account. Please note that if a country you are sending to is considered a high-risk country in Moldova, a mandatory visit to Victoriabank agent location is required.

Simply select the direct to bank account service when sending money online or at an agent location. What you need to provide when selecting this service changes from country to country, but usually includes.

• The receiver’s bank name and code.
• The receiver’s bank account name and number

To find out which countries are available for the direct to bank service, please check the country list.

A bank code is a series of numbers used to identify banks around the world. They can have between 3 and 23 digits depending on the bank and the country.

A bank code could be called:

• BSB
• SWIFT Code
• BIC (Bank Identification Code)
• CHIPS (Clearing House Inter-bank Payment System) – US and Canada only
• NCC (National Clearing Code)
• BSC (Bank Sort Code)
• IFSC (Indian Financial System Code)

For some countries you may need an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) in addition to the bank code.

Ask your receiver for the bank code and IBAN (if applicable). You can refer to our direct to bank account country list to find out more.

A Bank Identification Code (BIC) is used to identify banks worldwide. BIC is the same as a SWIFT code, and it can be between 8 and 11 digits long.

Ask your receiver if a BIC is required in their country, you can also check our country list for more details.

An International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is a code used in some countries to identify a customer’s bank account. The IBAN has a letter to identify the country followed by 2 digits, and then up to 35 characters for the bank account number.

You can check our country list to see what details are needed for each country. Ask your receiver for the IBAN if it’s required.

Direct to bank account¹ money transfers can change from country to country and can take up to five days¹. For more details, please refer to our direct to bank account country list.

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

• Your full name
• The tracking number (MTCN – Money Transfer Control Number).
• The exact amount expected.
• Your sender’s full name.
• The country the money came from
• A valid government-issued ID.

A valid government-issued ID.

You’ll need to present a valid national ID for residents, residence permit for foreign residents or international passport for non-residents to pick up money at a Western Union agent location. Acceptable IDs are subject to the Banking laws and regulations of Moldova.

Simply, track a transfer online for up-to-date information on the latest status of your money transfer. You’ll need the sender’s name and Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN). You can also call Westernunion.com customer care center on +373 22 57 61 40 from 8:15 am to 5:15 pm during working days and +373 22 21 02 02 for 24-hour support in Romanian and Russian or email westernunion@vb.md.

Money transfers will generally be paid in cash. Other restrictions may apply. For more information, please visit your nearest Western Union agent location.

All applicable fees are paid by the sender. The receiver pays no transfer fees.

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.

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 email. This may be a “phishing” attempt to acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately contact Westernunion.com customer care center on +373 22 57 61 40 from 8:15 am to 5:15 pm during working days and +373 22 21 02 02 for 24-hour support in Romanian and Russian or email westernunion@vb.md or visit any Western union agent location near you.

Please note 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. The ‘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 Moldova.

The ‘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 Moldova.

You should immediately visit our agent location 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 seems too-good-to-be-true, it probably is.
• More information about how to protect yourself from fraud.

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.