Western Union Philippines

• Overview
• Common Scams
• Helpful Tips
• Additional Resources

OVERVIEW

Western Union provides a fast, convenient and reliable way to send and receive money. However, you are advised to send money to ONLY those whom you trust.

Keep the following tips in mind:

• Never send money to strangers using a money transfer service.
• Beware of deals or opportunities that seem too-good-to-be-true.
• Exercise caution when paying for online auction purchases with money transfer services.
• Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on foreign lottery winnings.

COMMON SCAMS

Fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways to get to your hard-earned money. Read more about some common scams here.

• Beware of Up-front Payments
• Buyer Beware
• "Dream" Job Only a Dream?
• When Easy Money Isn't Easy
• They've Found Your Dog
• Millions Waiting to be Shared
• It's No Accident
• Watch Out for Lottery Fraud

HELPFUL TIPS

Protect yourself. Use these tips against frauds.

Be cautious if:

• You receive a too-good-to-be-true offer. For example, buying an expensive product at a cheap price or receiving an invitation to invest at very attractive rates, etc.
• You are informed that you won a bid in an online auction and the seller only accepts payment via money transfer.
• You are told that you won a lottery/prize and you are advised to pay taxes before you can collect your winnings when in fact you never bought a ticket.
• You receive an SMS or text message saying that you won a raffle or sales promotion, but a fee must be paid to claim the prize.
• You are asked to pay fees or other charges in exchange for a share in someone's cash windfall.
• Someone responds to your ad saying that they have found the things that you lost and are claiming the shipping/reward costs.
• You have sold something but received a cheque that is more than the amount asked. You are then requested to send back the extra amount by money transfer.
• You are offered a low-cost loan, but first you must pay the fees or the first few payments via money transfer.
• You receive a call from someone claiming to be the police or a hospital employee asking for money for the bail or treatment of a loved one.
• You are asked to pay fees for overseas employment to an individual who claims to represent an agency or the employer.
• You are instructed by the person asking for money on how to respond to questions asked by money transfer services such as Western Union.

Always:

• Know the person whom you are sending money to.
• Buy goods and services from trusted sources.
• Avoid paying for online auctions via money transfer.
• Learn as much as you can about Internet sellers, especially if the only information you have is a website or e-mail address.
• Exercise higher caution when buying or selling expensive items from someone outside the country.
• Discontinue any transaction if someone coaches you on ways to respond to questions asked by Western Union. It is a sure sign of a fraud.
• Contact the police immediately if you think you are being scammed.
• (In the Philippines) contact the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) if you are suspicious of a solicitation received via text message, call or e-mail.

Remember:

• We are a great way to send money to those that you trust, but not to someone that you do not know.
• We do not provide escrow services and we are not responsible for the quality or the non-receipt of any goods or services.
• Sending money with a fictitious name will not protect you when dealing with strangers. Do not do it.
• If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Stay informed about fraudulent activities! Good sources of information include:

• The newspapers
• The Police Force
• Government Websites (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Securities and Exchange Commission, Insurance Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, National Bureau of Investigation)