Western Union Money Transfer

[Prudie]

Hi all. Have any of you used the above to pay for things, is it safe/dodgy? Link to their site
http://www.westernuni...e&src=gg_UK_brand_eng

Thanks for any advice

[Hymie]

I have used Western Union Money Transfer (but there are others doing the same thing cheaper). It is a safe and reliable way of sending money to someone, virtually anywhere in the world. But should you use it to pay for goods (e.g. on ebay), you will have proof that the recipient received the money – but no way of claiming a refund, should they not send you the goods.

[Buenchico]

Western Union is probably the biggest, oldest and most well-respected money transfer agency in the world. Millions of people use it every day without any problems.

However, most of those people will be (for example) migrant workers sending money home to their families. They know, and trust, the people whom they're sending money to. For them ,the system is perfectly safe. As Hymie indicates, you should never use services like Western Union or Moneygram to pay strangers for internet purchases, as your money can easily disappear, without trace, into a black hole from which there is no return.

Chris

[AlBags]

Quite ..
eBay have outlawed it now, I think .. as even when fraud is evident, there is no way to retrieve the funds.
The transfer method of choice for con merchants.

[Prudie]

OK thanks all. If I explain a bit more maybe you would give your opinions - OH put something on Gumtree that someone now wants to buy. Buyer has e-mailed that he's currently 'at sea' without a credit card and he needs to pay his merchant in far east to pick it up from us (huh??). Merchant will only accept payment through WU. Buyer wants to pay for item through paypal but also add a considerable amount (£200) on top and then for OH to pay this £200 to merchant via WU. All smacks a bit odd to say the least?

[AlBags]

Forget it P. Sounds like yet another Nigerian scammer.

[funnygirl]

I used this regularly to send money to family abroad. I thoroughly recommend them.

[Buenchico]

At the end of the day, all that will have happened is that OH will have paid out £200 but he won't get payment for the item he was selling. Even if he hasn't sent (or handed over) the item, he's still £200 poorer. It's just a variation on a standard scam.

Chris

[Prudie]

The buyer has said OH won't have to do it until all the money (the selling price +£200) has arrived safely in his Paypal account though..

[Hymie]

It is a scam – the paypal money will be from a fraudulent account and recalled. Your OH will then be out all the money sent via WU.

[DTCwordfan]

its a scam Prudie - don't worry as the WUs are being targeted for looting and burning down tonight. There won't be any open by the end of the week.

[Buenchico]

As Hymie indicates, putting money into a PayPal account in that way, which is then recalled, is a standard part of a well-known scam.

[Prudie]

DT :-x
OK thank you all very much, very helpful. That's made my mind up anyway.

[DTCwordfan]

£20 (10% of the money saved) service charge then in the AB extortion pot plus £4 for VAT..........