Frequently Asked Questions

Customer questionnaire
Why am I unable to use Western Union services after receiving the message “Additional info needed, go to westernunion.com/gcr”? Are my documents safe? What happens after I provided the additional information? View all questions →
Western Union® Rewards
How do I check if my rewards points are applied to my money transfer? Do I need to redeem points to get a discount on my shopping? Is Western Union Rewards free-to-join? View all questions →
Send money online
How many Alipay wallet transfers can I make in a month? What does best rate indicate? Where can I see the savings I made with Western Union? View all questions →
Customer protection
Can I use Western Union to pay for online auctions? Does Western Union offer an escrow service or any kind of buyer protection? I received a suspicious email from someone claiming to be Western Union. What should I do? View all questions →
Receive money
How do I pick up a money transfer? How can my receiver get the money? What does my receiver need to pick up the money transfer? View all questions →
Send Money
When is the money taken from my bank account? What happens if some of my documents are not accepted? How many documents do I need to provide to validate the source of my funds? View all questions →
Send money in person
What are acceptable ID documents for picking up money? When are Western Union services available? How are money transfers paid out to receivers? View all questions →
Send money to a bank account
What’s a BIC code? How long will it take my money to get there? What is the Western Union® Direct to Bank Account money transfer service? View all questions →
Help with current and past transfers
How are money transfers paid out to receivers? What are the acceptable documents to pick up a money transfer? How much can I send online? View all questions →
COVID-19
I can’t pick up my money transfer because no agent locations are open due to COVID-19. Is it true that paper money can spread coronavirus? Is there any charitable cause that I can participate in via Western Union? View all questions →
Identity verification
Identity verification Do we need more information from you?  Online verification for La Banque Postale customers View all questions →
Become an Agent
What do I need to know about Anti-money laundering (AML) compliance? What do I need in order to offer Western Union money transfer services? How is a Western Union money transfer processed? View all questions →
Sending large transfers
Do I need to get my documents translated? How secure is my large amount money transfer? What qualifies as a large amount transfer? View all questions →
Payment authentication
Why wasn’t my authentication successful? What is Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)? View all questions →
Send money to a mobile phone
How can you ensure that sending to a mobile phone is secure? How can I send money to a mobile phone? Can money be sent to any mobile phone? View all questions →
Registration and profile settings
How can receivers register in China? How do I change my password? How do I change my profile privacy and marketing settings? View all questions →
Exchange rate alerts
How do I set an exchange rate alert? Will I get the same exchange rate as that in the alert? How do I edit an exchange rate alert? View all questions →
Send money from a bank account
How can I send money from my bank account? How do I pay for my money transfer using Plaid? What are the benefits of using Plaid with Western Union? View all questions →
Agent Locations
How do I find a Western Union agent location? When are Western Union services available? What are Western Union agent locations? View all questions →