This will be a fluid post, a dynamic diary of a journalist engaged in trying to tell a truthful story. The chapters will cover sellout corporations, and the general loss of freedoms citizens see drifting away day by day. Whatever you stand for, wherever you go, the corporate machine our leaders made into a human being ruin our lives.
My first subject, Western Union, has finally stepped over the line. I was a loyal customer, over 50 years, now I am duly pissed. I’ll elaborate why later, for now let me air other people’s complaints.
Western Union Downers – Holding People’s Money Up
The first one comes from Consumer Affairs and someone who calls himself on Nov. 6, 2015 – here’s the beef against the money transfer people….
“I used to send money to my country by western union in 2009-2010 while I was in Europe. I relied on their money transfer without any question as it was a recommended name in my country Bangladesh. I am astonished how this was my favorite service while I was trying to send a little amount to one of my friends in August 2015, who lived in Bangladesh. I sent the money from one of the agents in Austin, and got embarrassed by my friend that the money is not there even after 3 days. I called the customer service and got reply ‘your transaction is on hold because we need your receivers identification’. As per the discussion, I sent my friends passport immediately and got confirmed that they received it. After 4 days I again called, and got reply ‘we need additional investigation, because your receivers name is black listed, we will let you know shortly’.
After 7 days I called again, and this time I got ‘ohh! your transaction is on hold, because… what does the MD mean in the receivers naaame?’. After 4 days I requested to cancel the transaction and got ‘we have completed the verification and you will have to call tomorrow to receive MTCN to get your money back’. Surprisingly, after 1 day when I called I got reply ‘who told you to receive MTCN? Your transaction is still on hold, verification is on process’. After total 23 days, I got the money back by the grace of almighty.
Now, I would ask people who tried western union call center number – how much have you enjoyed listening 30 minutes music every time? I already memorized their sweet advertisement while trying about 6 numbers. Unfortunately, I had to call several times because they never called me back that they need extra information/documents for verification. And they were unable to cancel the transaction because ‘it was all about their legal department, there is no direct communication with that department’. Every time I called, some sweet voice transferred me to different specialized department who also escape away by transferring to other department – finally sometimes I heard this department is closed today!
Question is – how this type of service still exists in a country like America? They are claiming high traffic, and many other problems, and most of the time they don’t have answer other than the common words ‘apologize, sorry, inconvenience’. If you are unable to digest something, why didn’t you plan it before eating? You never called me about any inquiry/information, but only based on a name, you held my money for 23 days, which could be withdrawn/cancelled by 10 seconds. How did you know that you are Michael (example)? Have you set your name before you born, or your dad/mom set it after you born? So, train your computer that a name doesn’t mean everything – you cannot return the time value of my money!”
The second complaint I found, from a lady who calls herself Angela of Action, was made November 3rd. It reads:
“This company acts more like a policing department than a user friendly service. Absolutely appalling service. Do not understand why customers have to keep calling them to verify details especially when you are sending money to the same person you did before. The agent advised me to wait for 2 hours and ended my call. 10 mins later my transaction is cancelled!!! This is an appalling service and I should not be having to beg people to send my own money to whom the hell I want to!! On another matter I now need MY MONEY back in my account immediately but I am told 3 working days for a transaction which they cancelled for no good apparent reason, other than to sabotage my transaction. AVOID AVOID AVOID.”
Moving over to “Pissed Consumer” I find a few hundred more WU haters. This one from Auburn, Maine, had some blocking issues too.
“I have had the last 8 or more transactions flagged and blocked by WU without an explanation as to why. Funds sent to me are usually returned to sender for some reason benounced to me. I have tried calling with out a satisfactory result. Told to have the sender call WU but never an answer to my question as why?”
Meanwhile, Angela A over at Trust Pilot has nothing nice at all to say about Western Union service:
“Bunch of a***holes – AVOID AVOID AVOID
This company acts more like a policing department than a user friendly service. Absolutely appalling service Do not understand why customers have to keep calling them to verify details especially when you are sending money to the same person you did before, the agent advised me to wait for 2 hours and ended my call – 10 mins later my transaction is cancelled!!! This is an appalling service and I should not be having to beg people to send my own money to whom the hell I want to or have to explain what the purpose of the money is for – that is ludicrous ITS MY MONEY FOR F**Sake!!
On another matter I now need MY MONEY back in my account immediately but I am told 3 working days for a transaction which they cancelled for no good apparent reason, other than to sabotage my transaction,however my bank are saying 10 working days because they did not complete the transaction the money is still sitting there and now I have to jump hoops to get back MY MONEY!!!!.. THERE ARE BETTER PROVIDERS OUT THERE JUST search on google and read reviews first… I am right this minute trying out WorldRemit so far no problems at all, no stupid calls to verify stuff – just now waiting for my brother to collect the funds from his local JMMB Credit Union.”
Take This WU – For Hating Muslims
“It is the most frustrating thing in the world that Western Union has blocked my money transfer to my wife and children who live in Egypt because we are Muslims.My wife and children are all American citizens born and raised.
When will we live in a world where racism will cease to exist ? This form of racism is absolutely disgusting.
My family needs money to survive and go about their lives.I hope that one day the people that made these policies or made the decision to block my transfer will be put in the same situation where they will be sending money to their family and loved ones and end up getting blocked.”
