Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Money taken by western union from my account

Options
  • 25-02-2014 9:21pm
    #1
    MrSing
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭


    Can anyone help me with this because im driven up the wall at this stage dealing with WU.

    Got a call from my bank a few weeks back about suspicious activity occurring on my account and funds being transferred to western union, (wasn't me never used western unions ever) So the bank tried to stop the funds being transferred but it was too late and they had being drawn down so my account is down €600 due to this fraud.

    I have to sort this out with WU and not my bank!

    It's being reported to the police, my card is now cancelled and I have done whatever WU has asked me to do but I cant make any progress with them with regards to getting my money back.

    This is not a new scam or anything and im sure it has happened to plenty of people but im having a nightmare trying to get them to tell me anything or resolve this.

    Anyone ever have a similar problem with them?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    Surely this is a matter for you and your bank to sort out?

    What it sounds like that someone may have accessed your account and then transferred the money to WU. It's virtually untraceable after that.

    You need to ask your bank how the transfer to WU set up. Did somebody log in and set us the transfer "as you" or did it happen by some other means.


  • Options
    #3
    MrSing
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭MrSing


    Five Lamps wrote: »
    Surely this is a matter for you and your bank to sort out?

    What it sounds like that someone may have accessed your account and then transferred the money to WU. It's virtually untraceable after that.

    You need to ask your bank how the transfer to WU set up. Did somebody log in and set us the transfer "as you" or did it happen by some other means.

    The bank tells me that I have to sort this out with WU and this does seem to be the case. All the bank wants to know from me is how did I give my details away, was it a phone call from someone pretending to be from Microsoft, did I give my details to a friend or family member, did I use my card details on any unusual sites!?

    I did none of these.


  • Options
    #4
    coffee_cake
    Registered Users Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    Imo the bank handed out your money without your auth - THEY should surely be dealing with WU


  • Options
    #5
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    I would certainly press the bank more on this. Your account has been compromised and they should be concerned.

    If it's coming out of your account somebody has to set it up.

    WU should be able to tell you where the transaction took place.

    Have you infomed the Gardai?


  • Options
    #6
    h2005
    Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭h2005


    If the bank is giving you no satisfaction I`d go to the guards and report a fraud.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    The bank should be dealing with this.

    WU can't give you information, even of they wanted to.


  • Options
    #8
    MrSing
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭MrSing


    It seems that an account was setup in my name on western union using my visa/debit card details.

    I've never used and western unions services and not aware of how it works exactly.

    When I first spoke with WU it was reported as a fraud and not my account therefore they could not give me any information regarding where the money was drawn down or who collected it, its not my account its none of my business. Report it to your local police, which I did.

    Here is a recent emal I sent

    --

    Hi


    After making 8 phone calls and 3 emails I am still no closer to resolving this issue, so let me start once more.

    1 I don't have an account with WU, This has been stated several times and you still tell me that my email is not registered on your system, so again I will tell you that I don't have an account with WU! this would explain why you don't have my email details!!

    2 My bank called me to alert me to the fact that some suspicious transactions were taking place on my account and that money was being transferred to a WU account, These transactions were not made by me.

    3 My visa debit card has since been cancelled and this matter was reported to the police. Every time I call WU I am told to report it to the police and have my bank cancel my card so again I will make it clear here that these things have been done.

    4 In a previous email you instructed me to, and I quote "Furthermore, you may ask the bank to call us at 0808 234 9168 for further assistance"
    I spoke to my bank about this and they said that they could not act on my behalf in this matter.

    5 If you are going to provide me with any contact numbers please send numbers that I can actually call. 0808 234 9168 can not be dialled from Ireland, this is the second number that WU has provided me with that could not be called from Ireland so please make sure any number that you do provide me with can be called directly.

    Since this fraudulent activity occurred on my visa debit account I have been incurring additional bank fees as this incident means that i'm in overdraft with my bank, also fees for providing me with a new card.

    If some progress is not made with issue soon then I will have no choice but to write a formal complaint to you and report this issue to the financial services ombudsman here in Ireland

    Got a reply from them soon after that and then nothing for 3 weeks so I asked them for an update and got this.

    Thank you for contacting Western Union.

    Please be advised that we have sent a follow up request to send a charge back letter your bank. We understand that there is already a considerable delay but as a different department handles the review, we are unable to immediately advise further on this matter. Please be assured that we will contact you immediately once we have received their feedback.

    We apologize for any problems you may have experienced with this issue.

    --

    So western union are going to do a chargeback to who?


  • Options
    #9
    Spocker
    Moderators Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭Spocker


    Contact information for Western Union Ireland: https://www.westernunion.ie/WUCOMWEB/staticMid.do?countryCode=IE&languageCode=en&pagename=helpContactUs&method=load
    Western Union wrote:
    By Phone
    For fraud-related concerns
    1 800 812 333

    For online transactions inquiries
    1 800 654 238 or +32 (0) 2 639 7104 (available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

    For all other customer inquiries or concerns
    1 800 395 395 (available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

    Seems from the reply Western Union are going to to allow the bank to do a chargeback to them, in order to return your funds? Either way, I'd be getting a suitable report from the Guards regarding the theft, and then only dealing with your bank (if they will entertain you).

    The bank appear to be hiding behind the "your card must have been compromised" line...


  • Options
    #10
    MrSing
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭MrSing


    [QUOTE=

    The bank appear to be hiding behind the "your card must have been compromised" line...[/QUOTE]

    Starting to think this too.

    I spoke with them today and the told me that this transaction was verified by visa!? wtf does verified by visa mean to me?


  • Options
    #11
    Spocker
    Moderators Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭Spocker


    "Verified By Visa" is a scheme that you can sign up to, that provides an additional level of security when purchasing online:

    http://www.visa.ie/products/benefits/verified-by-visa/

    Essentially, (after you sign up) you're asked for an additional password (other than you card number/cvv2) when purchasing online. Did you sign up for that service?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    MrSing
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭MrSing


    No! and not familiar with it. About 99% of my transactions are done thru paypal!


  • Options
    #13
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Spocker wrote: »
    "Verified By Visa" is a scheme that you can sign up to, that provides an additional level of security when purchasing online:

    http://www.visa.ie/products/benefits/verified-by-visa/

    Essentially, (after you sign up) you're asked for an additional password (other than you card number/cvv2) when purchasing online. Did you sign up for that service?

    Isn't that enabled by default? Plus it only works for online transactions


  • Options
    #14
    Spocker
    Moderators Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭Spocker


    Sully wrote: »
    Isn't that enabled by default? Plus it only works for online transactions

    No, it's optional. And Western Union allow online transfers using a credit or debit card (I don't know if they use VbV though) http://www.westernunion.ie/ie/send-money-online


  • Options
    #15
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    It's not enabled by default. I believe the site hsa to be set up to request it or some such. I use a few sites without the verified by visa, then there's others such as TicketMaster which uses it. Unfortunately as the OP hasn't used it before, there would be no pw setup. You can skip registering the verified with visa for up to 3 transactions before it forces you to register I believe.


  • Options
    #16
    BandyMandy
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭BandyMandy


    Could your card have been cloned while you were using it at an ATM?


  • Options
    #17
    Canis Lupus
    Registered Users Posts: 9,893 ✭✭✭Canis Lupus


    OP a visa card has a zero liability policy. You are not the one supposed to be talking to Western Union. Either call or go back to your bank and ask that they do a chargeback.

    Problem solved.


  • Options
    #18
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I wonder were you caught up in this?

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0226/506661-bank-of-ireland/


  • Options
    #19
    3DataModem
    Registered Users Posts: 3,997 ✭✭✭3DataModem


    Spocker wrote: »
    No, it's optional. And Western Union allow online transfers using a credit or debit card (I don't know if they use VbV though) http://www.westernunion.ie/ie/send-money-online

    It is not usually optional for the cardholder. Either the seller supports it, or they don't, or the card issuer supports it, or they don't. If both support it, then the cardholder MUST use it.


  • Options
    #20
    Yawns
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,255 ✭✭✭Yawns


    I think he meant it's optional as in it's up to the website to use it or not. It's their option. Ticketmaster choose to use it so their customers have to use it. Also if you've never verified with visa before you can skip it two or three times before you must register with it. When skipping it, you can still make a purchase however.


  • Options
    #21
    Whosthis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭Whosthis


    I've been hit with the same scam just last week. Got a phone call from the bank on Friday morning. They're proving equally as difficult to deal with for me. WU referring me back to the bank and the bank doing likewise.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    How was the money moved from your account? was it charged to your card?

    Surely WU must be obliged to provide the info to you as the card holder.

    Again, report it the Gardai and advise the bank that you have.

    You need to go on the offensive with them.


  • Options
    #23
    kristian12
    Registered Users Posts: 361 ✭✭kristian12


    Having used Western Union online to transfer money to and from family members in other countries and around Ireland i can tell you you are being fobbed off. Whoever collects the money must produce photographic ID and W/U can tell the gards where the money was collected and that place will have a copy of the ID.

    If it's transfered to a bank account then obviously they can trace which account it went to. I know they can because i once sent it to a wrong account and they could tell me.


  • Options
    #24
    BandyMandy
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭BandyMandy


    Any update on this, OP ?


  • Options
    #25
    Canis Lupus
    Registered Users Posts: 9,893 ✭✭✭Canis Lupus


    kristian12 wrote: »
    Having used Western Union online to transfer money to and from family members in other countries and around Ireland i can tell you you are being fobbed off. Whoever collects the money must produce photographic ID and W/U can tell the gards where the money was collected and that place will have a copy of the ID.

    If it's transfered to a bank account then obviously they can trace which account it went to. I know they can because i once sent it to a wrong account and they could tell me.

    Lol... as an ex employee I can tell you A: the money will be sent to somewhere in the 3rd world... Africa and Asia being the likely spots. B: Copying of ID is not a requirement B.1: ID is easy to fake and C: the police don't care because it's essentially a crime they can't do anything about unless you expect someone to fly to Nigeria to track down the chap that stole a couple of hundred euro.....


Advertisement