Consumer complaint received 2019-08-03
Company: MONEYGRAM PAYMENT SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE INC
State: GA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
Yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX, I created an online account with the Walmart   MoneyGram Service and requested a transfer of {$580.00} to a nephew in XXXX, XXXX. 

The money was to pay for the school fees and room and board of another nephew. 

I was given the standard transfer options along with their corresponding fees : cash pick, bank account deposit, payment by debit or credit card, or using a bank account. 

I opted to pay with a credit card and submitted the requested amount mentioned above. 

An automated message said to wait while the request was being processed. I was further informed that the process could take up to 30 minutes so I could log out and check back. Alternatively, I could simply wait for an email from MoneyGram that would tell me if the request was successfully processed or not. 

Because I have used the same service countless times over the years to send money to XXXX albeit usually in person from within a Walmart storeXXXX I did not think much of it. The transaction would be approved because the money is going to a recipient I have used on more than 25 occasions. 

To cut a long story short, I received the promised e-mail but it said the my transaction could not be completed. I therefore decided to resubmit it with XXXX XXXX because their service location was closer to me than the local Walmart store. Two hours later, an attempt to log into my account MoneyGram account proved unsuccessful. I received a message that said my request could not be processed. 

I did not think much about it because I thought the webpage was simply having problems. But when I tried three times again between XXXX and XXXX XXXX today XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ) and kept getting the same message, I decided to call XXXX and report the program. I thought it was strange that I should see the same message for almost 24 hours if you include the failed attempt from yesterday XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. 

It was during todays inquiry that I found out that I have been permanently banned from sending money through the Walmart MoneyGram Service. Shocked, I asked the lady I was speaking to what the reason was and she said such issues are not discussed over the phone. Apparently, MoneyGram will send me a letter in the mail later to explain their decision but I would like this Agency to oblige the company to disclose what exactly I did yesterday to warrant such a punishment. Was my crime the fact that I attempted to use their service online instead of going into a Walmart store as I usually do? Was it the fact that I opted to pay with a credit card instead of my debit card as usual? And if the answer to any of those questions is " yes, '' I would like to know why MoneyGram provides those options in their online service in the first place. If I violated any of their security protocols, I would like to know which one and why I never received any advanced warning about the problem I was about to cause. 

Thanks.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation