Sending Funds Western Union

[phaedrus]

Just wondering what others thought of sending money Western Union, i just processed a credit card transfer via W. Union to WSEX and among other things the operator required a Social Insurance number (the canadian equivalent to a social security number) does anyone else feel any trepidation to giving this out over the telephone?

I refused to give it to the lady, but she said it was required by the Canadian gov't,

anyways just wondering what others thought.

[Cons]

Well, from what I know about the way the government likes to poke its big fat nose into other people's business for no logical reason, it all depends on the amount you are transferring.

In different states the amount will vary, but there's a certain amount over which they will ask you for such details. Send the money in smaller chunks and they'll ask nothing. Send one big amount that goes over this predetermined, invisible limit, and they will require further "ID."

This is for regular western union though, don't know about combining them with credit cards.

[Hartley]

I've never had to provide id for Western Union, but I also have never used credit card for W.U. To be honest when I asked once about using my credit card for a W.U. deposit I was informed that they don't do this in Canada.

You also can't do quick collect by phone in Canada.

[Junior44]

Can't speak for the laws in Canada, but asking for a social security number seems rather odd. As far as WU is concerened, this is the only way I have ever sent money offshore, and the only way I ever will. I don't have to give out anything else other than the dough and I know WU has full account for tracability if a problem should occur.

Of course, I've only had to deposit money one time. The rest have all been withdrawals. Yeah, right.

[Shawn]

I've never used my credit card through Western Union here in Canada, but have often sent funds by Quick Collect (the blue form, this is called Quick Pay in some other countries...). I always have to fill in my occupation (I usually opt for "legitimate businessman") and if I'm sending over a dime or specifying foreign currency they always copy my drivers' licence number. Never have I been asked for my SIN.

Whatever. It's fast, cheap, reliable.

[Rawhide]

Here in the states, when you send over $1000, they want to copy your driver's lisence which has your SS#, your address, etc. I have been and will continue to send money by Western Union for incraments under $1000 (or mulitple incraments over $1000) and also using different names on the Western Union form just to be on the safe side.

[AussieVamp2]

interestingly, I have seen a couple of very late night ads for Western Union here the last week, in the same sort of time slots as the phone sex ads, so not sure who they are aiming at

[Cons]

I used to do a lot of Western Union transfers, but I can't be bothered anymore.

Rawhide, I have heard that you can opt not to have your SSN displayed on your license. Don't know if that's true for the state where you live though.

Junior, Western Union isn't the only way to transfer money. Bank wires are much more sophisticated, and much safer when you read about the guys here who have had WU payouts lost for a while. Bank wires are about as safe as it goes, plus you can open an offshore account in the Caribean or in Europe and not worry about the IRS ever getting a glimpse of the funds you have there.

[This message has been edited by Cons (edited 01-19-2000).]

[Aus12]

I've used western union for both deposit and withdrawl and the only id they ever asked for was my divers license and mine does not have my SSN on it. I guess SSN being on your license depends on the state though.

[chestrockwells]

Of course I'm sure everyone knows that Americans are required by law to declare if they have a foreign bank account. I thought I'd mention that since I know that we all want to be as law abiding as possible!!

[kaiz]

I work in a place that is a westen union outlet. In the states we are required to get a drivers lic. # or photocopy for transactions over 1000 Anything over 3000 requires a social security # for the IRS forms that we are required to fill out.

[Cons]

Kaiz, thanks for the info. So anyone sending 3000+ is at the same time letting the IRS know about this. Do the numbers/limits for this reporting vary from state to state?

Chestrockwells, you have to report foreign bank accounts????????????????????????? What kind of totalitarian, fascist system is that? So if you have an account in Switzerland that you don't want anyone to know about because it's none of their f*****g business then you can get in trouble with the law?

On the other hand, what if you report the account? Do you still have to tell them your balance? If you go to Switzerland and open one up even the IRS would not be able to look inside it. Swiss banks would laugh out loud if the IRS wanted any info on someone's bank account.

[mikren]

In the U.S. it is a requirement to disclose on your tax forms if you have any foreign accounts. I have heard some say (Rob ****** , for example) that an account with a sportsbook is considered to be such an account that should be disclosed. After all, some books even pay interest on the accounts. Is there anyone who can confirm whether this is correct practice or not?

[chestrockwells]

Cons, unfair as it may seem, yes you're supposed to tell the gov't everything. And as far as Swiss banks are concerned....the days of them being private and confidential ended many decades ago. Today, they actively cooperate with a number of US gov't agencies. I'm serious.