Anyone here using Western union for foreign transfers?

[Kenny202]

Specifically from my Australian bank account. About to send over 500-700k THB. Friend of mine says a lot of issues with Wise atm holding up transfers asking for more details, obviously money washing laws or something. He's started using Western union and says their ex rate normal internet rate plus a fee of only $10 or so and money hits your Thai bank in minutes

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Finance

[fredwiggy]

Every month, but it does cost more than the normal rate when sending US to Thailand.

[scubascuba3]

i would stick to Wise until you have an issue, maybe do smaller transfers, same cost

[KhunBENQ]

I took the effort to register.

Website quite a mess.

Had to use VPN to make them believe I want to send money >TO< Thailand.

Registration as such quite easy, No verification of the address, just upload passport.

Code sent to my Thai mobile number.

Then you see the unbelievable offer: 0 fee, full currency market rate.

Wow!

After registration you are forced to a send money page and I can't change the amount entered before registration (2000 EUR). Wanted to test 200 EUR. No way.

Website frozen after a few attempts.

But only after cancelling and restarting I can see the obvious.

The offer is the usual decoy, first transfer.

Can't find what is the real charge for further transfers would be.

Wasted time, got enough.

Opposite of what I call transparent.

Will try to have my data deleted.

[swissie]

Readers of this sub-forum must have realised that there is an increasing number of complaints concerning "new ways of transferring money".

 

Western Union was never mentioned here in connection with "transfer problems". I wuold stay with Western Union as they have been in business for the last 174 years by transferring money (among other things).

 

More: Avoid internet hokus pokus. Go to the many WU offices in your neighborhood in person. Never no "transfer problems".

[Kenny202]

I did see the no fee and full internet rate when I tested out WU yesterday but didn't complete the transaction. I did also at one stage get asked for my Australian phone number (I don't have one), just ignored it and used email. At no point was I asked for passport photo etc but maybe that comes later on when fully completing the transaction? My friend tells me its a lot better to use their phone app than the website. That's the way most companies seem to be going these days putting their best into phone apps rather than websites. I guess then they can track your info, send you free advertising etc.

 

I am a bit more careful these days. When I first came her I t'ferred a large amount with 4X for a new vehicle. Their website was really sketchy. After a week and not receiving the money I started to worry. Very difficult to contact or get a reply. It seemed the transaction was lost in space somehow and I really thought I had been scammed on a bogus website. After a few days of emails some guy from England contacted me from his mobile phone, said wait a moment, he was just pulling into his driveway lol. He said he would check it out, still another couple of days before he came back to me and said that they needed me to complete a form saying reason for transfer and a receipt or order or something for the vehicle. Did that and in the end ok but the whole debacle took over 3 weeks, very unprofessional and caused a lot of stress

 

Any positive / recent reports on Wise? I have used them before albeit about a year ago but were always stellar

[kiwikeith]

21 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

Specifically from my Australian bank account. About to send over 500-700k THB. Friend of mine says a lot of issues with Wise atm holding up transfers asking for more details, obviously money washing laws or something. He's started using Western union and says their ex rate normal internet rate plus a fee of only $10 or so and money hits your Thai bank in minutes

Money transfers are getting harder to set up, company we use required proof of where the money came from which required sending documents to company, this is because of laundering laws.