HOW TO PAY VIA WESTERN UNION (WU)

[andyboy 5]

So is there no risks when paying via WU? People always tell me to beware of WU..

 

 

read the thread and it will answer your question.

[acid_pixel 0]

like to check with u guys,

 

i reckon that if the watch is USD300, shipping cost USD30 = USD330. when you made payment via WU, it should be USD right?

 

and not CNH.

[greg_r 81]

like to check with u guys,

 

i reckon that if the watch is USD300, shipping cost USD30 = USD330. when you made payment via WU, it should be USD right?

 

and not CNH.

 

Depends on what arrangement you have with the dealer. Some take payment in either currency.

[acid_pixel 0]

Firstly, and most importantly, do not try to pay via credit card over the web or telephone. 50% of the time WU will decline your transaction.

 

The safest way is to walk into your local WU branch, complete a 'send money' form with the payee details that your dealer will have given you and pay with cash.

 

WU will then give you an MTCN number which you then give your dealer - they will need this number to collect payment.

 

Job done.

 

DO NOT pay by cc ever.unless you have deep pockets.

[acid_pixel 0]

like to check with u guys,

 

i reckon that if the watch is USD300, shipping cost USD30 = USD330. when you made payment via WU, it should be USD right?

 

and not CNH.

 

Depends on what arrangement you have with the dealer. Some take payment in either currency.

 

i didn't know that we have the option to liase with the dealer on the currency since the website shows USD and usually there is no other alternate currency to choose from. should have taken the WU route.

 

for my case, my usd cc seems to charge from usd to cnh then cnh back to usd. make no sense to me but these seem to be acceptable practice for buyers here.

Edited January 26, 2016 by acid_pixel

[Bysantinkeisari 0]

I made my first WU transfer online two days ago and now my money is stuck in limbo.

 

Transferred online through Trustly in the WU website (a service you can use in WU, Trustly charges your bank account and hands the cash to WU instantly). Got the MTCN and sure enough, a little while later my WU profile said the money is ready to be picked up in China.

 

The TD tried to pick up my cash from their local WU office, but the WU customer rep said that the transfer is invalid

 

So I contacted WU customer service and they said everything is fine and the money should be free to pick up...

 

Customer service said my TD should try to pick up the money from an other office. We'll see how this develops.

[Travelterp 0]

Just wanted to add a data point I have not read yet. When I set up my online account, WU told me that I needed to use my banks online bill pay and they gave me a code to use. I set it up with my online banking and everything looked like it went great....until I got an email today saying that the transaction was cancelled because I used my business account and there is some US law that says your can't pay with a business account.

I went to the counter today and payed with cash. After the deal was done, the woman asked " you know this person, right"?

[rawbaws 91]

Just wanted to add a data point I have not read yet. When I set up my online account, WU told me that I needed to use my banks online bill pay and they gave me a code to use. I set it up with my online banking and everything looked like it went great....until I got an email today saying that the transaction was cancelled because I used my business account and there is some US law that says your can't pay with a business account.

I went to the counter today and payed with cash. After the deal was done, the woman asked " you know this person, right"?

 

Yes, she is the executor of my long lost Aunt's estate

[Mikeej 0]

Firstly, and most importantly, do not try to pay via credit card over the web or telephone. 50% of the time WU will decline your transaction.

 

The safest way is to walk into your local WU branch, complete a 'send money' form with the payee details that your dealer will have given you and pay with cash.

 

WU will then give you an MTCN number which you then give your dealer - they will need this number to collect payment.

 

Job done.

My BMO (Bank of Montreal) partners with WU and offers me a huge discount rather than going to a brick and mortar WU...think it was $9CAD for buy in China.

[Steph Deux 0]

I did receive payment details from Amanda, but no mention of currency.

 

Shall I assume $USD? I don't want to spend another two days to get the answer to the question "dollars or renminbi"?

 

Thanks.

[timetravel79 0]

for UK customers, WU still the way or CC?

[onionbag 1]

It depends on if your CC currency exchange value is advantageous........compared to WU + fees and potentially a discount from the dealer, I s'pose.

 

My head's spinning noo.

 

[hedgehog 0]

PayPal is the safest option

[RUSH2112 11]

PayPal is the safest option

For who?

[replicaman11 0]

This was very helpful. What about bank transfers on MoneyGram? Is that any good, seems somewhat risky if you ask me.

[replicaman11 0]

I was able to make one transfer of just under $200 recently. However, when I tried sending more, they declined me. So, I think your safe sending under $200, but then again who knows.

[Paul1 0]

Firstly, and most importantly, do not try to pay via credit card over the web or telephone. 50% of the time WU will decline your transaction.

 

The safest way is to walk into your local WU branch, complete a 'send money' form with the payee details that your dealer will have given you and pay with cash.

 

WU will then give you an MTCN number which you then give your dealer - they will need this number to collect payment.

 

Job done.

I was able to make one transfer of just under $200 recently. However, when I tried sending more, they declined me. So, I think your safe sending under $200, but then again who knows.

I realize this is an older thread but felt the need to quote the first and last and to bump it for noobs like myself. Greg has this right folks! I wish I could have read this whole tread upon using Western Union the first time. I signed up on line and then read on sister site RWI to do it in person. Off to the local grocery store I went because the first place felt like those people pawning their stuff might want to steel my $600. Told the clerk it was my first time sending money via wu. She gave me the option to receive money in USD or CNY. Back home to ask td and he didn't care. Had a story all made up why I was sending money but didn't need it. Now I realize if you are asked tell them you are sending money to friend or relative. My original story would have been 10x longer version. Everything went well and TD got money without any problems. Next time will be a breeze. Now just waiting for my gems to ship. Not easy for an impatient person like myself. More on that in a future thread.

[StevesBlues 0]

Hi members,just read the western union section,much my own fault for not thinking to search western union on the site firstly

I've used WU before,transfers ,mainly small to friends in need etc,so having joined this brilliant forum and armed with reputable dealer info,I mailed Mary,immediately she came back at me,yes I can provide etc...a few e mails later and we have a deal,so wetern union

Heres where it goes wrong....

I cant send the required amount as even though I have used WU many times,I now need to be verified....right,start the process........

 

Meanwhile I try via Moneygram....set up account...transfer the money,Mailed Mary to say transfer done....

But

...an hour later an e mail from Moneygram,"we cant do your transfer"

I ring

'why not'

"cant tell you sir"

"our security department makes the decision"

'can I speak with them?'

"no"

 

 

So I mail Mary,copy her in,make my apologies and wait for western union....after 4 days I am fed up so I ring them...

"you can do the transfer over the phone sir"

brilliant I think

 

Given all the info,rates (!!!!!)and fees (!!!!!) explained...then I get asked"why am I doing the transfer?"

'Oh,just buying some stuff' I say

 

"You cant do that sir this service is only for sending money to family and friends"

'WTF!!!!'

 

so,loads of time wasted,mine and Marys

Finally today my account is validated and frankly I will be suprised if Mary is still willing to take my order....I hope so as I reckon from the feedback she is a great person to do biz with

As for WU...well....needs must I guess...and its my own fault for not reading the appropriate section

I'll keep you posted on Marys response guys

[StevesBlues 0]

Hi members,just read the western union section,much my own fault for not thinking to search western union on the site firstly

I've used WU before,transfers ,mainly small to friends in need etc,so having joined this brilliant forum and armed with reputable dealer info,I mailed Mary,immediately she came back at me,yes I can provide etc...a few e mails later and we have a deal,so wetern union

Heres where it goes wrong....

I cant send the required amount as even though I have used WU many times,I now need to be verified....right,start the process........

 

Meanwhile I try via Moneygram....set up account...transfer the money,Mailed Mary to say transfer done....

But

...an hour later an e mail from Moneygram,"we cant do your transfer"

I ring

'why not'

"cant tell you sir"

"our security department makes the decision"

'can I speak with them?'

"no"

 

 

So I mail Mary,copy her in,make my apologies and wait for western union....after 4 days I am fed up so I ring them...

"you can do the transfer over the phone sir"

brilliant I think

 

Given all the info,rates (!!!!!)and fees (!!!!!) explained...then I get asked"why am I doing the transfer?"

'Oh,just buying some stuff' I say

 

"You cant do that sir this service is only for sending money to family and friends"

'WTF!!!!'

 

so,loads of time wasted,mine and Marys

Finally today my account is validated and frankly I will be suprised if Mary is still willing to take my order....I hope so as I reckon from the feedback she is a great person to do biz with

As for WU...well....needs must I guess...and its my own fault for not reading the appropriate section

I'll keep you posted on Marys response guys

[ekim1222 0]

Does WU cause customs to look closer rather than PP?

[greg_r 81]

uh no. Customs has no idea what payment method you've used

[mjbeat 0]

I prefer paypal

[nuk 4]

Interesting info. Shame I didn't find it before the nightmare I had to live.

 

My 2 cents about WU: IMHO WU online sucks, at least if you're tranferring money to China from Spain. I don't know if any of the excuses that WU Customer Care gave me are plain rubbish or not (the server's had a break down, you can't pay that amount of money in a single operation, the interface is being updated/refurbish/painted, try it again later, blah blah blah...). The question is that I finally ended paying 20€ (10+10) to a WU office, instead of 4ish€ (2ish+2ish) that was the fee advertised in their website. I couldn't go through it online (the interface was crazy, no warnings of malfunction at all, and never being able to complete the payment), so... a total no-go. And I have to thank WU Customer Care who gave me 2x50% discount code for the 2 operations I did to complete the payment (their fee at the office is 20€ per transfer).

 

If it'd worked, it'd be great! I hope this helps someone someday.

[wowzA1 0]

Interesting info. Shame I didn't find it before the nightmare I had to live.

 

My 2 cents about WU: IMHO WU online sucks, at least if you're tranferring money to China from Spain. I don't know if any of the excuses that WU Customer Care gave me are plain rubbish or not (the server's had a break down, you can't pay that amount of money in a single operation, the interface is being updated/refurbish/painted, try it again later, blah blah blah...). The question is that I finally ended paying 20€ (10+10) to a WU office, instead of 4ish€ (2ish+2ish) that was the fee advertised in their website. I couldn't go through it online (the interface was crazy, no warnings of malfunction at all, and never being able to complete the payment), so... a total no-go. And I have to thank WU Customer Care who gave me 2x50% discount code for the 2 operations I did to complete the payment (their fee at the office is 20€ per transfer).

 

If it'd worked, it'd be great! I hope this helps someone someday.

 

It seems like people have recently had issues with WU. Why don't TDs use PayPal. I read the rules on PayPal and how not to put anything in the comments, so wouldn't everyone who reads it know the rules. Is there any other reason?

[Wriggles 12]

Hey Astrocock, how many socks you need before you get the message.