Where to Cash a Western Union Money Order?

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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A renter where I live has sent the office a large sum of money by Western Union money order. Does anyone know where it could be cashed? The local Western Union office says Western Union in the Dominican Republic doesn't cash them anymore.
 

shadInToronto

On Vacation....
Nov 16, 2003
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May be true, Rocky ... with desktop publishing software, a good scammer, like your friend Kevin Williams, can create a certified cheque. I've read of cases where certified cheques were returned NSF. Also, I've had many certified cheques put on hold until they confirmed the authenticity with the issuing bank. It sounds absurd, but banks aren't taking chances even with their best customers.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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May be true, Rocky ... with desktop publishing software, a good scammer, like your friend Kevin Williams, can create a certified cheque. I've read of cases where certified cheques were returned NSF. Also, I've had many certified cheques put on hold until they confirmed the authenticity with the issuing bank. It sounds absurd, but banks aren't taking chances even with their best customers.

If Western Union cannot verify their own checks they might as well close. Ridiculous!
 
Feb 7, 2007
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It's not absurd, Rocky.

WU in the DR is operated by licensee, Remesas Vimenca. Vimenca is a separate company from WU, they only have the right to use the name.

Whereby the money order is issued by Western Union Financial Services and/or First Data Corp (owner of WU). WU/First Data is a completely separate entity from Remesas Vimenca.

Imagine this scenario:

You have a Domino's Pizza gift card that was given to you by a friend from States that has 10 dollars on it. You cannot use the gift card at Domino's in the DR, simply because it is operated by franchisee and has no other ties to Domino's in the USA besides the franchise agreement.

When I was still banking with Citibank bank in the States, I could not do any operations on my Citibank USA account in other country, not even in Canada. The only thing I could do was to withdraw money from Citi's ATM free of charge.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Ken, your best bet may be to deposit it into a bank account. But be advised you won't have the money immediately.
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
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Western Union

My thoughts exactly.

I recently sent my houseman $500.00 Canadian here in Toronto via Moneymart, which is Western Union and he had access to the money in about 5 minutes. I understand it isn't a large amount but I am sure I could have sent thousands down hassle free (not that I'm planning too) and he would have access right away. BTW, it cost me $27.00 Canadian in fees.

I could understand if the transaction were between 2 completely separate companies but NOT the way the OP stated.
Steve:ermm:
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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Under these circumstances why pay a fee of 5% or whatever it is they charge when the check is exactly the same as your personal check. You can deposit a personal check in the bank for no fee.

Anyone that uses this service knowing these facts needs a brain transplant.

I know Ken just ended up with the check without this knowledge.
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
405
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Cheque

Under these circumstances why pay a fee of 5% or whatever it is they charge when the check is exactly the same as your personal check. You can deposit a personal check in the bank for no fee.

Anyone that uses this service knowing these facts needs a brain transplant.

I know Ken just ended up with the check without this knowledge.

Sending a cheque takes too long and I don't think he has a bank account. I could see that whole process taking a month to 6 weeks before he had the money in his hands. Seemed a reasonable fee to have access so quickly.
Steve
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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495
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To the person who asked, I am in Sosua.

The money orders were sent to the administrator or the condominium where I live. Before I posted my question, she checked with the local office of Western Union/Vimenca and also contacted Banco Popular and Banco Santa Cruz to see if the money orders could be deposited in the condominium's account.

Steve Costa Azul, do you know where your man cashed what you sent?
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
405
0
36
Western Union

To the person who asked, I am in Sosua.

The money orders were sent to the administrator or the condominium where I live. Before I posted my question, she checked with the local office of Western Union/Vimenca and also contacted Banco Popular and Banco Santa Cruz to see if the money orders could be deposited in the condominium's account.

Steve Costa Azul, do you know where your man cashed what you sent?

Ken
After I sent it, I called him and he went to Western Union in Cabarete and within an hour of me sending it, he received the money, problem free.
Steve
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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495
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Steve, I think there is a difference.

If the man who sent the money had gone to a Western Union office and sent the money to the Western Union office in Sosua, the money would have been received. I change money at Vimenca/Western Union and always see people collecting money sent to them.

But what happened here is that he went to a Western Union office in the US, bought money orders, and mailed them to the administrator of the condominium. It is those mailed-to-her money orders that she is trying to cash.
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
405
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Mail

Steve, I think there is a difference.

If the man who sent the money had gone to a Western Union office and sent the money to the Western Union office in Sosua, the money would have been received. I change money at Vimenca/Western Union and always see people collecting money sent to them.

But what happened here is that he went to a Western Union office in the US, bought money orders, and mailed them to the administrator of the condominium. It is those mailed-to-her money orders that she is trying to cash.

Ken
I didn't know all the details and assume it is the reason that problems arose. When I went directly to Moneymart, it was available to him in the DR in 5 minutes! Must be the mailing of money orders is the difference.

I actually hate these type of services, because some of the guys that work for me, can't wait for their 4 digit cheque to clear in their banks, so they go to what I call "Losermart" and hand over the 3 % they charge! Drives me Crazy!

However, knowing my housekeepers situation, I had no choice but to pay for speed!
Steve
 

canajungirl

New member
May 18, 2004
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now if only the women who send money to their sankies would learn this method, then the money order would never get cashed and they wouldn't be out the hundreds they've sent. sorry Ken but this could well be a lesson for those who send money to their sankie(ttes). hope it all gets solved for you.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Ken, sorry if I'm obtuse, but have you tried to ask Western Union? Like not in the DR, but some kind of head office?

Chris, we contacted the head office in the US 3 days ago; no reply.