Complaint Review: Western Union Financial Services

I have also experienced problems with Western Union and I have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

Initially, Western union online, who I have used numerous times, refused to send $100 to my daughter stranded without gasoline money in Pittsburg, PA. After dealing with a clerk who refused to help me, I asked for a supervisor. They required me to verify telephone information. I gave them my home number in my wife's name, as well as 4 cell phone numbers that I pay for on the Sprint bill in my name. They were unable to verify the information. When I asked for the name of the source they used for verification, Western Union refused to tell me. They are illegally using sources for credit checks and not informing consumers of the sources and not allowing consumers to dispute inaccurate information. Western Union is in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act by using credit reporting information in their decision to make a money transfer, yet when inaccurate information is provided by their third-party source, they refuse to notify the consumer of the source of that information and prevent the consumer from disputing inaccurate credit report information. The Federal Trade Commission needs to fine Western Union for each instance that credit report information was used to verify identity and that Western Union failed to provide written notice that consumer credit reports were accessed and the source of these reports.

In my case, the supervisor in question was "Vanessa", Employee ID number "817".

I have also found a solution to the problem while Western Union decides to be such jerks.  It's called "MoneyGram".  Available online and at most Walmart stores.  Not only are they more friendly, they cost less too!!!  So why pay more for rude and illegal activity?

Late last year, western union black listed me again. After calling Tom Lysinger's office, someone else effectively told me the same thing they had when I filed this; however, after a couple of weeks transactions started going through again.

Today, my transaction went to the Verifications Department and they were asking if this was the first time I had sent money - keep in mind I have sent money from the same computer, same internet connection, same phone number for years. As the conversation was closing, the representative was asking what address my phone number was registerred at and said they would have to call me back. After that they went silent and said nothing but kept the line open. I said a couple of things with no reply and finally hung up and called back to ask that they cancel the transaction.

I do not know why Western Union does these things, but they definitely are not customer service oriented. This is quite possibly the worst company for customer service that I have ever encountered.

I would not have believed it.  But last week the money I sent to my wife was "not ready" when she stood in line to collect it, which is a dangerous place to be a the city where she is.  You guessed it.  We are blacklisted.

Based on my 1 experience with Xoom, I would not recommend them to anyone. Xoom is a clear case of you get what you pay for.

I was travelling internationally and did a transfer with Xoom. Xoom accepted the credit card and then rejected it. No problem, right? I am traveling internationally and it is possible fraud. I can live with that.

Unfortunately that is not the end. Minutes after Xoom accepted the transaction, Xoom rejected it; however, Xoom still collected the money from my account. Further, Xoom refused to release the $1000 even though it was never paid to me. Ultimately, I disputed the charge with my credit card after getting back to the states and had the entire amount returned to me. My credit card company did a chargeback and took the money back from Xoom.

I can appreciate security, but flat refusal from Xoom to give back money Xoom took from my account without giving me anything in exchange is ridiculous. My experience with Xoom gives me the impression Xoom is completely unethical and a group of scam artists. I guess you get what you pay for - pay Xoom half of what you would pay to an ethical company, and you get... nothing. I would rather pay more and get something. Maybe Xoom chose their name because they take your money and run? I don't know, but that seems to be the case with my transaction.

Western Union took care of the problems I initially reported and I have never had an issue with them since. Western Union is the company I choose to work with.

I tried to use the western union service as well before. For whatever reason or another it didn't meet they requirements. No big deal. I knew that they couldn't be my only options. I found xoom money transfer online. They site is good they don't ask alot of personal questions and the rates are at least 50 percent cheaper over western union. http://www.xoom.com

As I mentioned in my last statement, I apologized and didnt mean to make light this experiance (or your resolution.) I meant it when I said I beleived you or you wouldnt have added it. I just have a different opinion on some things because I was inside, and I still know people there. Maybe that is why it didnt work out.
I'm glad things worked out for you, because when reading at first it sounds like you went through alot. Again, sincere apologies. I wont be visiting here again.

To make sure it is clear, Tom Lysinger did call me back multiple times and addressed the issue as stated in the previous post. In addition, he gave me a number to call him directly in the event of any future issues.

There have been no future issues, and I continue to use the service multiple times each month since the problem was resolved.

If I sounded like one person was responsible for outsourcing American Jobs, they are not and I want to publicly apologize. It just frustrates me and most that we are loosing jobs left and right at all companies, not just this one. If Tom called this person back, fine. I dont think now that he (the author) would have updated if he didnt. That doesnt make up for the millions of others that didnt get that treatment and that was the point.

I will not apologize for the comment on the rude service I have heard first hand on a daily basis and yes, you are told to call back, try again, hung up on, sometimes your transfer goes through, then the next time you are told "no", given no reason, and treated (questioned) like a criminal may be. There are plenty of ways to protect a persons personal information without making what may be the true person calling feel interigated. The right hand doesnt talk to the other at this company and the customer goes through alot of trouble and valuable time. The customer could have gone to another company who is less expensive and more customer feelings aware. A lot of companies dont keep in perspective when being rude, If not for the customers the company and their salaries would not exsist.

I dont beleive for a minute that Tom Lysinger called anyone back as he is too busy being "The Hack Man" and outsourceing all our American Jobs at this Company. You will soon be able to call Western Union and only get foreign operators from Costa Rica, Canada and Mexico.

The customer service is the worst, they do hang up on you and they are rude. Everyone has a supervisor and you have the right to get to the bottom of your problems without being hung up on.
This company cares about numbers (stats), and numbers (dollars). Customer service is last,if your lucky enough not to get hung up on.

After a couple of emails to customer service and various people, Tom Lysinger called me back.

Even though the service I initially received was extremely dissatisfying, Mr. Lysinger called me and let me know he would look into the situation and call me back. The next day he called me again and reassured me the situation was resolved and he apologized for the circumstances. Since then, I have used their services a few more times with no problems.

I am sincerely appreciative to Mr. Lysinger and the way he dealt with the situation and treated me. In my career, I hope I have the same ability as Mr. Lysinger does when it comes to taking care of the customer and resolving difficult situations.

Thanks for your help, Tom Lysinger.

The date of the call with John, Operator 311 was 7/9/06, not 7/14/06. I called back on 7/14/06 and talked to another rep who seemed to have no clue as to why the charge would not go through. Instead she told me to try again later.