cdb btech-online.co.uk> writes: > :: I'm not familiar with Western Union and would like to hear of any > :: praise, gotchas, fees, potential problems etc > > I haven't used Western Union, but there are often warnings by State > officials that WU allows the recipient access to your account details > and lacks strong'ish security. > > I always try and persuade people to either use WorldPay (from the RBS, > probably not useful for a one off transaction) or PayPal. The idiocy about 'using Western Union allows *THEM* to access your account details' is bollocks spread by credit card companies and the like who would rather have clients pay them than W.U. W.U. is about the only way to send and receive money to and from people who do not have a credit card or bank account. NO KIND of account is needed at either end, and of course nothing can be 'breached'. Also unlike other friendly gangsters in a suit, nothing is held in escrow, no accounts can be blocked or frozen and the transfer is near instant. I have used W.U. in Eastern Europe and elsewhere and it works well and I will use it again although I wish it would be cheaper. The sender walks to a counter (most post offices and banks carry Western Union services), puts cash on the counter and sends said cash to person XX in city YY (anywhere on the planet). He gets a 10-digit transaction number (the money is already available for pickup when the number is being printed ...). He sends said 10-digit number and his sender's name to the receiving party (for example by email or SMS), and the receiving party XX goes with the number and ID showing name (varies by country) to a post office counter etc. serving W.U., and picks up the money. That's it. No accounts, no information is exchanged excepting the 10 digit number and the name and city of the sender and recipient. Tracking can be done via internet based on the 10-digit number (the sender can see if it has been picked up, and the receiver whether the money is available, once having the 10 digit number). Similar services exist in many countries, the (ex) USSR states have one among others. W.U. is probably the largest, oldest and best established. Unfortunately it is not cheap. That's its ONLY disadvantage as far as I can see. The W.U. history data on the net speaks for itself, and their money wiring business has overtaken the other sources of revenue of the company in 1980 (W.U. has been into transferring money since 1870 or so). http://corporate.westernunion.com/history.html I don't known whence the FUD about 'stealing the account data being possible when using W.U.' comes from, but I will never cease to be amazed by what FUD people and organizations come up with to down a potential competitor. The only 'disclosed' informations are the sender's and the receiver's names and cities and both must exist, unlike the dangerous 'anonymous' mnemonics used on various online bidding services, which often turn out to be serious frauds in Elbonianish countries. I'll also NEVER use services like PayPal which can cause a credit card linked account to be locked indefinitely, without recourse, if someone in Elbonia can't spell or falls off a camel (or pretends to do any of those things). -- Peter -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist