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From £2.ninety

Fees (Pay by Banking company Transfer)

£ane

Minimum Transfer Amount

Details

Details

Product Name	Western Union
Minimum Transfer Amount	£1
Pay By	Cash, Credit card, Debit card, Banking concern transfer
Receiving Options	Greenbacks pickup location, Bank account, Mobile wallet, Prepaid phone credit
Customer Service	Telephone, Email
Available Currencies	AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AWG, AZN, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BTN, BWP, BYN, BZD, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, Cup, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ERN, ETB, EUR, FJD, FKP, GBP, GEL, GHS, GIP, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, IQD, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LYD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MRU, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SDG, SEK, SGD, SLL, SOS, SRD, STN, SYP, THB, TJS, TMT, TND, Summit, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VES, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW
Bank Account Required?	No
Personal Account Manager?	No

Review by

Zak Killermann

zak.killermann@finder.com

Zak Killermann is a publisher at Finder who's been specializing in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology for four years — covering everything from ICO booms, crypto winters, memecoins and more. He's mined and minted cryptocurrencies, and remembers the days when DOGE was just for fun. Zak's focus is in breaking downwardly technical concepts into outgoing nuggets of information. Before diving into all things crypto, Zak contributed to Finder's money transfers vertical.

Practiced review

Western Union has a gigantic global network of amanuensis locations and banking company connections that makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to transport money to almost anywhere. You can transfer this coin fast for higher fees, or a flake slower for lower fees, depending on your needs and resource. Overall I'd recommend checking Western Union for any transfer yous need to make, if just to get a baseline on prices.

Given Western Union'due south history of customer complaints and lawsuits, consider looking at Western Union alternatives, as many smaller competitors have a better track tape and likewise offer amend exchange rates and lower fees. Western Union will almost always be a cheaper pick than your bank, especially when sending ane-off transfers or to remote destinations. Lastly, a major perk of using Western Spousal relationship is the sheer number of physical locations in the UK; information technology is integrated into many post offices, corner shops, newsagents and more.

Why should I consider Western Spousal relationship?

Established service
Western Union has managed both domestic and international money transfers since 1871.
Huge network
With over 500,000 agent locations around the world in more than than 200 countries, Western Matrimony is one of the world's largest money transfer providers. At that place are more than 5,200 amanuensis locations in the UK lone, often located in mail offices and newsagents.
Flexible transfer options
With a mix of online and agent location services, you lot can cull to pay with cash, credit, debit, banking concern accounts, and more than. Also, Western Union'southward business transfer option lets you utilise hedging tools to get even more flexibility.
Fast
Some transfers through Western Matrimony can exist received inside minutes. This is helpful when sending cash in an emergency, or just in general when yous don't want to await a few days for your transfer to become through.

What to be enlightened of with Western Spousal relationship

Weak substitution rates
Unfavourable exchange rates will atomic number 82 to less money going to your recipient, and more to Western Union. Exchange rates offered by Western Marriage tin can exist every bit high every bit 20% worse than the mid-market place rate, so exist sure to shop around when sending large amounts of money.
Maximum transfer limits
You can transport a daily maximum of £5,000 via online money transfer. Amanuensis locations typically have no limit, however, so long as you tin provide adequate identification while sending.
High fees
Virtually all transactions through Western Spousal relationship will accept a fee fastened. Occasional promotions and coupons may aid recover some of this fee corporeality, simply expect to almost e'er pay a fee when sending money through Western Matrimony.

Western Union fees and commutation rates explained

Western Union has different fees for nearly every country it sends to. These fees also depend on how yous are paying for the transfer and how the transfer will be picked up. Amanuensis location fees typically aren't posted online, but Western Union'due south online fees are based on:

Location. The fees you pay will exist different when sending to different countries around the globe.
Payment. Paying with a credit card versus a debit card or a bank account will accept different fees. Additionally, if paying with a credit card y'all may be charged fees by your credit card provider, besides.
Receiving method. Picking up greenbacks is typically more expensive than having coin sent straight to a banking concern business relationship.
Variable exchange rates. Western Spousal relationship applies different substitution rates to different transfer types. It besides uses stronger or weaker exchange rates based on the currency you are transferring.

When sending from the United kingdom for cash pickup, here are the fees and commutation rates nosotros encountered using Western Spousal relationship's cost reckoner tool on 7 April 2021:

Sending £i,000 to	Paying with	Fee	Percent above mid-market
Bharat (INR)	Debit/credit bill of fare	£iii.90	ii%
	Bank business relationship	£3.90	i.viii%
	Cash (in-shop)	£4.90	0.v%
French republic (EUR)	Debit/credit card	£iv.90	vi.6%
	Banking concern business relationship	£4.xc	6.9%
	Cash (in-store)	£24.ninety	9.viii%

Sending cash to Bharat had moderately low substitution charge per unit markups, while sending from GBP to EUR had markups over half-dozen% when we checked. Normally high markups are associated with low fees, just in this case sending greenbacks to French republic includes both high credit card fees and poor exchange rates.

Check if there are whatsoever Western Union promo codes available

How Western Union compares to other services

Table: sorted by promoted deals first

Our table below lets you compare services you tin can utilise to send money abroad. Compare fees, exchange rates and discounts from different money transfer services, and when you take made your option, click Go to site.

Find out other alternatives to Western Union

Payment and receiving options

At that place are many ways to send coin overseas with Western Union, each with its own fix of limits, fees and restrictions. Western Union'southward online, phone and in-store options include:

Payment options

Credit card
Debit card
Bank account
Cash (in-shop)
Wire transfer

Receiving options

Cash (in-store)
Bank business relationship
Mobile wallet
Prepaid card
Pay your bills

Not all options are available for all markets.

How long does a Western Union money transfer take?

You tin can send your transfer a few different ways, depending on the amount of fees you desire to pay and how quickly you demand it to get in.

Fastest option – as little every bit 10 minutes

Pay for your transfer with a credit or debit menu and have it sent for cash pickup. When using a credit or debit carte you'll typically pay a higher fee, but your money can arrive in as footling as ten minutes. Still, your credit card may charge a cash advance fee, further increasing the toll of your total transfer.
Cheapest option – up to 2 business organisation days

Using a bank account to pay for your transfer is typically the cheapest manner to send money, but is too almost e'er the slowest. Depending on verification needs you may accept to wait longer while Western Union confirms yous own the registered banking company business relationship.

How much coin can I send with Western Union?

Your limits will vary based on your transaction history, the recipient's country, your country, and the service you lot choose.

Online: If you lot want to send more than than £800 over a 5-24-hour interval period, Western Matrimony will need you lot to ostend your identity first – after that you'll exist able to send up to £4,000 within a three-mean solar day catamenia. Unless you're sending a depository financial institution transfer to another banking concern account, in which case you'll be able to send upward to £l,000 per transfer depending on the selected country.

Amanuensis location: There's ordinarily no brake on the amount of money you lot may send at an agent location. However, some countries set limits on how much tin be received. If you have questions almost a specific corporeality you're sending or a specific country, you lot tin call client services on 0808 234 9168 to find out.

How do I use Western Union?

Western Union offers several ways for y'all to ship money. As a minimum yous'll need:

A Western Union business relationship. It's easy to set up up a free business relationship as function of your transfer.
Valid payment method. You can pay past debit card for Western Union'due south fastest and cheapest transfer or use a credit card or bank account. Yous tin also pay in cash at an agent location.
Recipient's contact information. If sending to a bank business relationship, yous'll need the bank proper noun and business relationship number. If you lot're sending a prepaid card for home delivery, you'll need the address and phone number.
Your contact and payment information. The card number or account number and security information for the business relationship you're transferring from.

If your recipient is picking up cash in person, let them know to bring along a valid ID that matches the name y'all are transferring to.

The registration and transfer process

Yous'll demand to create a Western Spousal relationship online contour before you tin ship funds online. It's gratis and relatively quick to register. If y'all don't desire to annals online you tin can contact Western Union by phone and provide the necessary information that way.

If you prefer the security of a face-to-face up transaction, visit one of Western Union's five,200 UK locations to transfer funds using greenbacks, a credit or debit card.

Must read: COVID-19 update

Your nearest Western Wedlock location may not exist open, so telephone call alee. Sending money online or with a money transfer app could be safer and easier.

Steps to send a Western Spousal relationship transfer online

Signing up and sending money through Western Union can exist done online, in person or through the mobile app.

Create your free account using your name and contact information.
Verify your account through the email and phone number provided.
Provide the required identification, if asked.
Kickoff your transfer by clicking Send coin.
Fill in your transfer details, select payment methods and click Send.
Refer to your receipt for tracking details.

How to find a Western Union location to transport money in-person

How exercise I track a Western Wedlock transfer?

You have a few options: track online, through an agent or past telephone. All options require the same information, which is your MTCN or Money Transfer Control Number. This is Western Union'due south unique tracking number assigned to your money transfer. Your recipient will need this number when picking up money at an amanuensis location.

If you lot don't accept the MTCN, you can track transfers using:

Sender's phone number OR Sender and receiver names
Receiver'due south land and corporeality sent
Date of transfer

Additional information may also be needed, which is why tracking with the MTCN is the easiest option.

What are Western Matrimony's Digital Locations?

Digital Locations are Western Spousal relationship's way of bringing amanuensis location services to the digital earth. This service is first launching in a handful of countries – Republic of austria, Belgium, Italia, Portugal and Oman – but Western Union has plans to expand the program.

Users connecting to a Digital Location can await the same level of client service they'd get from a regular amanuensis location, but digitally. Customers tin wait multiple linguistic communication support and video or phone chat with a Western Spousal relationship coin transfer personal-service assistant.

Equally information technology'south not available yet in the U.k., though, if you desire to send coin digitally and then be sure to compare your options to salve money on your adjacent transfer.

Western Union lawsuits and client complaints explained

A large number of customer complaints is adequately standard for companies every bit massive and far-reaching as Western Spousal relationship, but that doesn't hateful information technology can't better.

Online seller fraud and coin transfer scams

This is the near common blazon of complaint past users online, and there is trivial that Western Spousal relationship can practice also educate its customers to help them avoid these situations. Typical scams through Western Union include:

Payment requests. Someone online offers to sell you lot something and asks that you lot pay through Western Union. They selection up the cash that yous sent to a Western Matrimony agent location and you never hear from them over again.
Overpayment scam. You receive a check that appears to exist valid for a new job, a service or a production y'all are offer. The check amount is more than than you lot earned, so the sender requests y'all return the actress amount by coin transfer. After sending the money transfer you'll learn that the bank check bounced, and there is no way to reverse the money transfer.
Tax scam. Yous are contacted by someone claiming to be from a government agency, stating that yous owe taxes and they must exist paid immediately. They will merits the fastest way to send money and avert penalties is through a coin transfer.

To gainsay these types of scams, Western Spousal relationship has started providing clear warnings on their website earlier a user sends a money transfer. This popup alarm requires users to click Have earlier sending their transfer. Too, Western Union has a specific Twitter account dedicated to fraud awareness that tweets near the newest and most relevant scams while they are popping upwardly. Also, Western Union now operates 24/7 phone lines for client support all over the world.

More on money transfer scams and how to avoid them

Western Union reviews and complaints

Western Spousal relationship reviews are generally positive, with the expected negative reviews popping up on review sites like Trustpilot. It is no surprise that at that place are many users with swell experiences and many users with poor experiences, given that Western Matrimony has hundreds of millions of customers. Contained inquiry of any brand is therefore always a great idea before using it.

Nosotros've done some of the footwork for yous and compiled reviews from around the internet. These reviews are authentic as of 7 April 2021.

Trustpilot	two.seven out of five, based on 18,322 client reviews
Monito	7.9 out of 10, staff reviewed

Can I trust Western Union?

Betwixt 2004 and 2010, Western Union was accused of allowing fraudulent transactions and received more than 550,000 complaints about fraud. Since then, Western Matrimony has paid over $586 million in fines to settle this outcome. The outcome of the lawsuits lead Western Union to agree to:

Provide articulate fraud warnings.
Increase its websites and telephone numbers to handle customer fraud.
Cake any and all money transfers sent to a person who is the subject of a fraud study until it is cleared upwardly.
Refund a money transfer if Western Union fails to comply with its anti-fraud procedures and the sender is the target of fraud.

Existence extra cautious past but sending or receiving money from people you know is a necessary extra step for your safety.

How safe is Western Spousal relationship?

Does Western Union have an app?

Screenshot of the Western Union app

Yes, Western Union has an app on both Google Play and the App Shop. Features the app has includes:

Scan your card. Use your telephone's camera to apace scan your credit card, debit card and photo ID to save time and prevent mistakes.
Biometric logins. Both face up and fingerprint recognition can be used to log in past using Touch ID.
Check currency exchange rates on the go. Current currency substitution rates and fees tin be institute in the app instead of having to utilise your phone's browser.
Create an order in the app and so pay in cash. To speed up the fourth dimension spent at an amanuensis location, offset your money transfer on the app then pay at an agent location to complete it.
Find an agent location using GPS. Use the in-app map to find agent locations based on your GPS or search anywhere around the earth.

Google Play Store	4.v out of 5, based on 72,083 customer reviews
Apple App Shop	four.6 out of 5, based on 9,800 customer reviews

How does My WU: Western Union's reward programme piece of work?

My WU is Western Union'southward membership plan and information technology is free to sign up for. You can earn points by completing qualifying transactions. Follow these steps to become started:

Sign upwardly for free. An email and mobile number is required to sign up, and you accept to opt-in later creating your Western Spousal relationship business relationship.
Transport coin to earn points. Yous'll earn 5 points for every transaction made.
Redeem points for rewards. 25 points become you 25% off your next transaction fee and thirty points get you 50% off; with other special promotions offered throughout the year.

Pro tip: Saving your My WU points to spend in larger amounts may internet you lot greater rewards per betoken spent. Although information technology can be tempting to spend 25 or l points, save those points upward and you tin can reap fifty-fifty more than savings.

Bottom line

Western Spousal relationship offers plenty of useful transfer and cash pickup options when you need to send money abroad. Earlier yous commit to sending your difficult-earned greenbacks, though, brand sure you compare other bachelor options to find the best bargain. Although Western Wedlock is frequently 1 of the about convenient options, it is always worth checking to come across if there are boosted companies with lower fees and stronger exchange rates for y'all to benefit from.

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Source: https://www.finder.com/uk/western-union