The Western Union Company Money Transfers Complaint

The Western Union Company Money transfers department,

International money transfer Incorrect/missing disclosures or info Texas

On - -, I received a request for funds from a relative in - who needed it for an emergency on the following day. I had not sent money to this relative in many years, so I had to fill out a form with Western Union to be able to send the money. When my relative tried to cash the money transfer, he was denied the funds, but not given a reason why. When I got involved, a representative told me that either he submitted an official ID through e-mail to western union ( -- ), fax it, OR we had to send a letter of explanation to Western Union with a picture of my signature. There were problems with both options : my relatives in - do not have the technology or the know how to e-mail the picture ID, and the letter of explanation had to be accompanied with many details I do not know about my relative, and that I know well he would n't be willing to give me. These were facts such as date and place of birth, occupation, address, etc. I must mention here that while I have a moral obligation to assist this


recipient. This is the part with which I have a problem : Western Union stated that that was n't an option at all. How is that possible? Either my estranged relative submitted an ID, which I was not even sure he had, and he stated that it would be too difficult for him, or I submitted the letter of explanation. Else, according to Western Union, they would keep the funds for a year and then submit it to the Treasury Department. This defied any sense of logic. It was my money and I simply wanted to cancel the transaction. I called back to seek an explanation ( was it a regulatory requirement or simply an internal policy? What gave them the power to simply keep my money? ) I was NOT given a reasonable explanation. Their explanation was basically " that is the process. ''