Frequently Asked Questions

Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), as mandated by the EU’s Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2), requires payment service providers to authenticate digital payments.

SCA, also known as 3D Secure, is a multi-factor authentication that adds an extra layer of security to digital payments to reduce fraud. It asks you to authenticate your payment using PIN, password, or biometrics.

At Western Union, to meet the SCA requirements, we use multi-factor authentication to secure your online transfers.

Western Union uses Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) to secure online payments. To successfully authenticate your payment, please be sure of the following:

• Your card or bank account is registered for SCA (3D Secure). If not, contact your card issuer or register it through your online banking portal.
• Your contact information is up to date with your bank and Western Union.
• You enter your PIN or password accurately.

Please note that you can also pay for your money transfers using alternative methods. We’ll show your payment options when you start an online transfer.

Anyone who needs to send or receive money quickly uses Western Union. These include people supporting friends or relatives abroad, travellers and business people who need to make fast, international remittances.

Western Union agent locations are independent businesses that provide money transfer services to their customers on behalf of Western Union.

Western Union agent locations offer the ability to send money worldwide using cash.

You’ll need to complete a “To Send Money” form and pay the agent the amount you want to send, plus fees, in cash.

To pick up the money, the receiver will complete a “To Receive Money” form at any Western Union agent location and provide proper identification. The agent then pays the transfer amount to the receiver.

You can usually send any amount. However, for certain amounts and transfers, you may be subject to additional security and asked to provide additional information or documentation.

Acceptable IDs:

• Current passport
• Current driving licence
• National identity card

Generally, we pay cash to your receiver. But, in some cases, payment may be made by cheque, or a combination of cash and cheque.

Other restrictions may apply.

Any time after the money has been sent, you can  check your transfer status online. All you need is your name and the tracking number (MTCN) printed on your receipt.

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.

You can pick up your money at any agent location. You’ll need to complete a “To Receive Money” form with the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Amount expected
• Sender’s name
• Sender’s city and country

Acceptable ID documents are also required.

Some restrictions may apply.

Each Western Union agent location determines its own hours of operation. Some have extended hours and some even stay open 24 hours.

Find a nearby agent location.

Find a nearby agent location online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.

Western Union agent locations are independent businesses that provide money transfer services to their customers on behalf of Western Union.

Each Western Union agent location determines its own hours of operation. Some have extended hours or even stay open 24 hours.

Find a nearby agent location

Find a nearby agent location online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.

Registration is required for most services. After you register, sending a money transfer, payment or message can be done in minutes as your information will be pre-filled on the page. This saves you the time and trouble of typing it in each time you want to do a transaction.

No, it’s free to register.

Registering to receive transfers in Colombia

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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

Receiving money in 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.

Receiving money to your bank account in China

If you’re the receiver, you may need to complete a one-time registration before you can receive money.

If you need to register, you will be contacted within 24 hours by us at the number provided by your sender.

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.

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.

You can also call Customer Care at 4008190488 or 02168664622 to provide your identity information.

You’ll need to verify your identity to send 1,000 EUR or more. After your identity has been verified, you can send up to 5,000 EUR per transfer.

You can verify your identity in any of the following ways:

• Through video chat
• Via mailkit

Through video chat

To verify your identity via video chat, please do the following:

1. Log in to westernunion.com or go to our app.
2. Select Profile at the top right and choose Start verification now.
3. Choose between Computer and webcam or Smartphone as the medium of video chat.
4. Follow the instructions to complete the verification.

Identity verification via video chat may take up to 4 hours. If we need additional information, we’ll contact you via email.

Note: Before you start the video verification, be sure of the following:

• Enable access to your camera and microphone.
• Keep your documents ready.

Via mailkit

To verify your identity via email or regular mail, please follow the steps below:

1. Log in to your Western Union profile. If you don’t have a profile, create one.
2. Select Profile at the top right and choose Start verification now.
3. Then select Verify by letter and you’ll get a letter and form from us by regular mail.
4. Sign the form and send it back to us with a copy of a government-issued ID document in any of the following ways:
   • Via email to id@westernunion.com
   • Via regular mail to the following address:
     Western Union Processing Lithuania, UAB
     Online and Prepaid Customer Identification Unit
     Balcikonio str. 9C
     LT-08247 Vilnius
     Lithuania
     

You can provide any of the following documents to verify your identity:

• Your passport
• Your EU or EEA issued national ID
• Your EU driving license
• Your Slovakian residence permit

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 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 that someone you know has been in an accident or been arrested and is requesting money.

Beware of unsolicited letters or emails offering an unrealistic price for expensive or rare merchandise.

Make sure you know who you are sending money to. 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 westernunion.com , do not click on any links in the email. This may be a “phishing” attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately contact your local authorities.

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

The “Test Question” feature in the Western Union Money TransferSM 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 transaction. 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 warn and recommend people using our services to not send 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’s 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 third party “pickup” 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.

Contact your government’s Office of Consumer Affairs if you are uncertain or suspicious of a telephone, mail or email solicitation.

If you feel you have been the victim of fraud, you can contact your local police or contact us on spoof@westernunion.com.

Western Union employs a variety of techniques, 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 the event that 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 https://www.microsoft.com.

Use extra caution when entering your password on a computer that does not belong to you. Viruses, spyware or your browser’s settings might be used to compromise your account by recording your username and password.

In Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:

1. Right-click your mouse on any secure page within the site (any page beginning with “HTTPS://” with the small lock symbol displayed in the lower righthand corner).
2. Click “Properties” from the menu.
3. Click on the “Certificates” button to view the site’s SSL certificate(s).

In Mozilla Firefox, you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:

1. On any secure page within a site (those pages beginning with “HTTPS://” with the small lock symbol displayed in the lower righthand corner), go to the “Tools” menu at the top of the browser window and select, “Page Info”.
2. In the dialogue box that appears, select the “Security” tab.
3. On the Security tab, click on the “View” button to view the security certificate.

Any time after sending, you can  check your transfer status online. All you need is your name and the tracking number (MTCN) printed on your receipt.

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.

You can pick up your money at any agent location. You’ll need to complete a “To Receive Money” form and include the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Sender’s name
• Sender’s city and country

Acceptable ID documents also are required. Some restrictions may apply.

When you send money internationally, your receiver will generally be paid in local currency. The exact amount will be calculated based on the exchange rate applicable at the time of shipment. However, for transfers to certain countries, the exact amount will be calculated based on the exchange rate applicable at the time of receipt.

Here are a few ways you can send money online using Western Union:

• Money in minutes:

If your money is needed within minutes, you can send online using your credit or debit card. Receivers can pick up cash at Western Union locations worldwide, depending on the hours of operation at that location.

You can send up to 1 000 EUR before we need to verify your identity.

After that is finished, your send limit will increase to 5.000 EUR.

Find a nearby agent location online or look for Western Union in your local telephone directory.

You can cancel a money transfer only if it has not been picked up by your receiver. If you sent money to a bank account, you can cancel it if the transfer has not been completed by your receiver’s bank.
To request a refund, please call Customer Care, or if you sent the money in person, return to the agent location.

Refunds typically take up to 10 business days from the date they are completed.

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.