Consumer complaint received 2023-07-02
Company: WESTERN UNION COMPANY, THE
State: OR
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I submitted a wire transfer request via my online account with western union. The wire transfer was for {$4600.00} to my friend in XXXX who I have known, visited with, and been in correspondence with since XXXX. I have wired funds to this friends many times over the years of knowing her. This is the first time I wired money through western union to her bank account. Previously I wired to a western union pickup location. I submitted information via my online account including the bank name in XXXX, the bank account number of the recipient, and the recipient 's name. The bank name was available via a drop-down menu ( i.e., was a bank known to western union ) . I was informed by western union that the transaction was completed and the funds were deposited into the recipients account on XXXX XXXX.The recipient has gone to the bank 6 times since XX/XX/XXXX, including most recently on XX/XX/XXXX and the bank indicates that the funds are not in her account. Approximately XX/XX/XXXX, I called western union for a XXXX time regarding the transfer and they requested that we provide the recipients bank statement to show that the funds were not deposited in her account. On XX/XX/XXXX I submitted a bank statement to western union for the period of XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX showing that the funds had not been deposited. I received a response requesting a statement for the period of XXXX XXXX ( email attached below ) suggesting that western union had misread the bank statement ( attached below ) which clearly shows the period of transactions as XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. I called and emailed western union clarifying that the bank statement included the period they requested. Western union indicated via phone that the bank told them they had deposited the funds into the recipient 's account and that the bank also provided them documentation of this deposit. After 3 additional calls to western union following up, I was told that they would provide this documentation to me by email within 24 hours so that the recipient could provide that documentation to the bank. The documentation was never provided after 5 business days. I followed up again with western union regarding the document and was told that there was nothing they could do ( see second and third response from western union below ). They declined to provide the document they previously indicated they would provide. Western union has not provided any proof that they transferred the funds to the bank or that the bank deposited the funds into the recipient 's account. Their website indicates that if the funds do not get deposited in the recipients account, that the funds will be returned to the sender. However, the funds from my transfer ( {$4600.00} ) have not been provided to the recipient as indicated via the service I paid western union to provide nor have they returned the funds to my bank account. They have declined to return the funds or locate them.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation