Western Union

[Richieboy67]

As an American can I pick up western union here? What do I have the sender put down?

I usually have my wife pick these up but the last 2 have given us problems.

Thanks

[scott h]

A western union customer is a western union customer. Shouldn't make any difference what nationality as long as the sender gives you the right pick up code.

 

If you explained the problem you had someone might have run into the same before and assist :cheersty:

[Jack Peterson]

Link that Western Union sent me not Long ago also a link for a new rule, it just could be this that is the problem.

 

 http://www.westernunion.com.ph/en/how_to_receive.php

 

http://www.westernunion.co.jp/en/pdf/2014_1212_notice%20to%20pholippines_E.pdf

 

Hope it helps.

 

JP :tiphat:

 

Morning all. :morning1:

[Czechman]

What I have seen, the USSC units in and around Cebu City and Manila (the major Malls at least, that I've seen) do WU pick-ups. If they are not down that is... and this does happen too, so be aware.

 

Once more and FYI, every time I've used Western Union.com to transfer $ from my US bank to here, Western Union will claim that my bank denied the payment. I tried it twice, January and more recently, May, and they did it every time!

 

Yeah, not likely WU! And my bank even clarified that they did not deny the WU remittance. I think and what I have heard is that, some banks take a longer time to clear funds (credit unions or local banks vs major banks) and it's quite possible that WU didn't want to wait so they cancelled my transaction. But left me hanging for 5 days! The Beastrrrrddddddssss!!! :Mad:123 So I gave up on WU.

 

 

Possibly... a suggestion & if you're fed up with WU... try Xoom.com (<-exchange rates are ok...but they work in 1/2-1 hour for me; so I use them in a pinch situation!! You can pick them up at BDO, MetroBank, BPI, PNB, Cebuana, MLhuillier, etc).

Xoom was quick for me in a delicate situation: as I stood outside the mall, I did the transfer on my phone via pocket WiFi, and within 1/2 hour, they sent me a text that it was available to pick up! Unbelievable and saved me, because I was flying out to the US in a few days and had to pay utilities and pick-up some supplies! Xoom is all good when I was in a hurry--but with TransferWise, the exchange rates always kill the Xoom rates hands down! An example: I saved 600+ pesos with TransferWise on a $500 remittance, bank to bank. And can be done via a smart phone or computer as well. 

 

Or you could consider MoneyGram.com (<-no luck for me with these guys though).

Edited August 29, 2015 by Jollygoodfellow
removed link

[Richieboy67]

A western union customer is a western union customer. Shouldn't make any difference what nationality as long as the sender gives you the right pick up code.

If you explained the problem you had someone might have run into the same before and assist :cheersty:

Thanks, well the solutions have not been solved yet.

Some of my clients pay me through western union. Because I wasn't sure how to do it here and also because I do not want my clients to know I'm in Asia I add my wife as the receiver.

We have picked up a few of these transfers with no issues. Usually the amunts are anywhere from 9,000 to 13,000 php.

The last 2 we tried to pick up went south. The first one we were told the mountain number was wrong. Even when we supplied a picture of the signed sender form with the same number they still could not process. What's worse is the seller believes we picked it up because when tracked online this is what shows.

The second one has us waiting for 25 minutes because wu said it was under review. Then she told us the seller cancelled. The seller sweats he didn't cancel and when I had him track online it also shows as picked up.

Thanks guys,

Rich

PS - do I need to have the sender enter my home address and do o he to tell them I'm in the Philippines?

[Dave Hounddriver]

As an American can I pick up western union here? What do I have the sender put down?

 

I have a good friend in the US who sends me cash via Moneygram when I am short.  The amounts he sends are usually $500 and its only $10 fee. I can pick it up anywhere in town, plus I can get it in US $ (but I have to tell them BEFORE doing the paperwork or they will say they have no US$ once all the paperwork is done.)

 

It used to be very easy but the last time I did it (3 weeks ago) they had me filling out forms that rivaled the BI for bureaucracy.  As far as what to put down, we write down that we are brothers in law and its for a family emergency.

 

Just for interest's sake, there are times when L'hiiller gives a better rate on the US$ than the money changers.  Last time I got an extra 100th of a peso with L'Huillier.  Its feck all but a win is a win.  :hystery:

 

 

 

PS - do I need to have the sender enter my home address and do o he to tell them I'm in the Philippines?

Yes the sender has to enter the city you will pick it up in the case I mentioned.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Dave Hounddriver

[scott h]

The second one has us waiting for 25 minutes because wu said it was under review. Then she told us the seller cancelled. The seller sweats he didn't cancel and when I had him track online it also shows as picked up.

 

I am just going through the trouble shooting procedures here. If you have used Western Union before this with no problems..........

 

 Are these problems with the same sender? If so, that person might be running a scam on you.

 

It could be a software problem with western union (just guessing here) I do know that the sender is asked to supply the country of the person who is receiving the money. If your customer isn't told what to put down, and leaves it blank, the Western Union system just might hic up and the transfer floats around for ever and ever.

 

Another possibility is that you were just the unlucky guy when the system screwed up and dropped a decimal point somewhere and it cant be explained.

[Richieboy67]

Both of these sender's have sent money in the past a few months ago with no issues.

We have then name, location and amount.

I called wu today and they told me to have the sender contact wu.

As for a scam or is really not anything I can be scammed for. This is for advertising on one of my websites so if I don't get the money I just take the ads down.

Anyways, thanks. Hopefully they will get this straightened out. In the future perhaps we'll try money gram or xoom even.

[Dave Hounddriver]

In the future perhaps we'll try money gram or xoom even.

 

PayPal works for me too.  You can use any email address and have a Philippine account. No one needs know where you are withdrawing the money.  You can withdraw to a Philippine bank in pesos or dollars (assuming you have a dollar account here.)

[scott h]

Hopefully they will get this straightened out

 

I hear ya.......unless this continues to occur it might be chalked up to the ole "S**T Happens". Zillions of OFW's can't be wrong. If this type of thing happened all the time we wouldn't see relatives lined up out the door at these places. :cheersty: