Western Union
Service: www.westernunion.com
Since 1871, Western Union (WU) provides a money transfer service without the requirement that its users must have their own bank accounts.
Service: www.westernunion.co.uk
Back then, the telegraph network was used – today the Internet. However, the fact remains that the money receiver can withdraw the money only a few moments after the deposit … and since 1980, this even if it is at the other end of the world!
Service: www.westernunion.de
Western Union is mainly used by migrant workers. They work in the “Western” world (e.g. in Germany) and send money regularly to their families in their poorer home countries. In 2004 (so the last known information), the equivalent of about 8 billion Euros was sent only from Germany to foreign countries.
However, Western Union is also used to transfer money between Germany and other countries, if one does not have a bank account or does not want to use it. For example, for “discrete” money transfers.
Branch office or online?
Migrant workers often use the deposit service at the WU counter. In Germany, one can find such counters at the Reisebank, Postbank and often in Internet cafés.
Also some travel agencies or specialty stores, which were founded by immigrants, serve as deposit and withdrawal points of Western Union. Any businessman can suggest Western Union to become a partner and open a “branch office”.
Additionally, the Western Union Bank has quite some branch offices in Germany.
Set up an online account at WU!
If you want to transfer money abroad only once, then you probably do not need an online account (it is not a bank account!) at Western Union. However, if you transfer money regularly, we strongly recommend you to open an online account, because
- You save the way to the Western Union counter (time and possibly transportation expenses),
- You can save addresses and data online and do not have to fill out the form every time again,
- You transfer cheaper (the online fees are lower).
Setting up an online account is free:
Note: You can set up an account already at the first money transfer. Legitimating is necessary only at the third money transfer. So everything is very simple!
New note: If you are still new in international transfers, then take a look at the alternative TransferWise. In our last tests, TransferWise came off much better than Western Union.
You do not have to charge the Western Union account before the transfer. The sent amount will be deducted from your bank account or your credit card at the same moment in which the money is sent.
Criticism towards Western Union
The fees of Western Union have always been the long-running criticism. Even the World Bank has already dealt with the topic.
Western Union earns at two points:
-
the transfer fees
Are very transparent, as the online calculator always shows them up to date. However, the fees for small amounts can be up to 15% of the transfer amount and at higher amounts, bank transfers (even if they take longer) are cheaper due to the better exchange rates.
-
the exchange rates
Compared to banks, Western Union provides the customer with very poor exchange rates. It works like this: WU exchanges the money from one currency to another at wholesale rates, but surcharges the customer with a huge percentage fee.
Although the exchange rate for the transaction is shown before every online transfer, the surcharge remains unclear. In our test (article in German language) of possibilities to transfer money cheaply to the USA, the surcharge on the exchange rate, compared to a bank transfer, was about 3.85 percent!
Western Union is market leader, despite criticism!
Despite criticism of the high fees, Western Union is used daily by millions of people and is the market leader of the international money transfer.
Three other points still play an important part:
-
the simplicity
To use Western Union, you only need an identification document and money (sender) as well as an identification document and the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) (receiver). A bank account is not necessary. Thus, almost everybody can use Western Union around the globe.
-
the rapidity
Already a few seconds after the deposit, the money can be picked up from the paying branch office.
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the safety
The money transfer with Western Union is one of the safest ways to transfer money. Each payment receives a unique Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN). This payment can be traced at any time. Simply call the customer service and test it!
The money can only be picked up by the person defined by the sender. He/She has to legitimize the identity using an identification document and the MTCN as well as knowing the amount and the sender. In some countries, a password is used additionally.
How the money transfer with Western Union works (using the Internet):
If you already have an account at Western Union, then log in first. If you do not have an account, start with Geld sofort senden (Send money now). Your account will be set up during your first money transfer.
The online transfer form will open
Filling out the online transfer form is almost self-explanatory. On the next page, the payment data of bank account or credit card has to be stated (not shown here).
The online account is, of course, also available in English language.
Confirmation via e-mail
A few minutes after the transfer order, you will receive a confirmation of Western Union via e-mail. In the English version, of course, it will be in English language.
Please provide the money receiver with the following data for withdrawal:
- Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN)
- Amount to be picked up
- in some countries also a password
Your name and your contact data should also be known to the receiver!
Money pick up
Once you have provided the data for the money pick up, the receiver can go to any counter of Western Union (bank, Internet café or any other branch office) and pick up the money.
In order to withdraw, one must show an ID card and fill out a form
Done!
Western Union pays the money to the receiver without any further deductions. You will receive a receipt of the payout (picture in picture).
Summary
Often, Western Union is not the cheapest option, but it offers the fastest and one of the safest! If you want to perform more than one transfer, we recommend setting up an online account: www.westernunion.de.
PS: You are welcome to add your experiences with Western Union to this page – perhaps a money transfer from Germany to a foreign country or the other way around. Thank you!
New: Cheap alternative to Western Union
Thanks to the inventing spirit of people, our world keeps developing and supplies new products and offerings. These are often cheaper, better or faster than the already established one.
That also applies to TransferWise, a new provider of very cheap transfers to the abroad.
If the sent money should not be picked up in cash – which is the big advantage of Western Union – but should be transferred from bank to bank … than you should take a look at www.transferwise.com Good luck!
i met Cynthia on skype and I became interested in her and decided that she visit me in Germany. I took care of all the traveling procedure and paid her flight but she told me she was stopped at the airport for not having enough money on her as it is compulsory to carry a Basic Travelling Allowance of £5,000.00. I contacted the Embassy that told me it was scam and link me to contact the Ghana Crime Unit (info.ghanapolice at consultant dot com) and suspects was arrested. I wonder what WU don’t care about scam.
I want to ask,
I am purchasing some goods, as it is the newly product
So they asked me to pay through Western Union, Can I send them the deposit amount money transaction slip on their name, then they will be assured that I have the money, so they will dispatch my purchase.
After the approval from my side only, Can the vendor withdraw the money.
I heard there will be some 8 digit code, which can be reimbursed from my side only.
Without my approval no one can withdraw the money !!
IS IT TRUE ??
No that’s not true.. Never send money using WU if you do not know your receiver. WU is not an escrow service. once they got the money they might not contact you ever again.
How many times i can able to received money thru western union in a month?
Is there a deadline to pick up money?
Hi Lorelie,
the “regular” deadline is 45 days. However, you do have the option of an extension, which you can either organize directly at the counter (if you send the money from there) or via phone.
How much can someone send a day at western union? How much will be the limit amount send from German to london.
Western Union offers different services. The limit for sending money via the online service without having your identity checked is 1000 EUR/year, according to westernunion.com. After your identity has been confirmed, the limit rises to 5000 EUR/transfer.
Can i send money from my Western Union prepaid master card to my self as a receiver to get cash if ATM dont work
I have friend from Germany then he told me he send 200 euro but he mistake to write my surname then he told me I can get the money 2 hours due to change the surname…and my question is if u change again the surname maybe they gonna change also the control number please tell me
I’m trying to rent a room in Berlin and I almost became a victim of fraud. The person wanted me to send her money upfront, I told her I’m not doing that. Then she told me that I should send cash via Western Union to a friend of mine and then send a copy of the transaction to her so that she can see I have money. She said she is working in the UK so she needs assurance before she travels to Berlin to rent me her apartment. She insisted on sending cash, not using a bank account. I got suspicious, it turned out to be a scam. Most of the times knowing the MTCN is enough to get the money so never tell that to any stranger!
Hi, does western union need the passport of the receiver before sending the money?
How much money can I transfer in WU in person without identification?
What is usually the labelling appearing on the bank account of the sender ? Does it shows “western union” in terms of discretion ?
Does sender knows the receiver received the money form western union ?
Yes. In order to do that, you can use the “Track a Transfer” feature on the Western Union website, or you can use their mobile app.
Can my friend from abroad send money in to my current account via Western union without me being asked for MTCN? Can I withdraw the same via ATM?
Hello. I have one question about sending money through the Western Union in Ettlingen (Germany). My wife changed her last name and has a paper on her new surname. The passport continues to write the last name of a former husband. Can she send money with that paper and write her right now the current surname or must it be entered from the passport?
When receiving an amount from an International Transfer, why do you need to know how much (in the received currency) the person sent? Surely all the checks and balances done by the sender, coupled with a recognized form of identification and MTCN should suffice to collect.
Hello. I have a problem. I have made a transfer, but no code has been sent to me by e-mail. I have done this for the first time and I do not know, if the recipient needs to have any code when receiving the cash?
Please contact Western Union directly. We cannot help you anymore, because we only transfer with Transferwise since some years and also recommend it to our readers!
Do you have to pick up the money on the same day or can you do that later?
You can do it later.
You should use Western Union only in desperate situations in which either the sender or the receiver – or both – has no bank account. In Germany, the fee for sending an amount between 50 and 100 Euros from the Postbank office is 14.90 Euros. If you send 50.01 Euros, the commission is almost 30%!! On top of that, you lose around 5% of the sent amount due to the bad exchange rate. If you have money to send abroad on a regular basis, better take the trouble of setting up a bank on both ends… I have used Transferwise for three years now, for well over 100 payments… The current charge for sending money to the Philippines is around 0.7%, with good, interbank exchange rates…