Consumer complaint received 2020-05-08
Company: WESTERN UNION COMPANY, THE
State: TN
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020 at XXXX XXXX  EDT, I sent {$400.00} through Western Union Quick Collect to XXXX XXXX to pay on my ' daughter 's educational loan. The funds went to a Loan Payment Processing Center used by and which is a part of but separate from XXXX XXXX. Unbeknownst to me and the representatives in the Loan Department and the Executive Offices of XXXX XXXX was the fact that the Loan Payment Processing equipment at the Loan Payment Processing Center broke down some time in late XX/XX/2020. In essence, no one could find the {$400.00} I sent for payment on my ' daughter 's educational loan. To make matters worse, the Clerk at my ' Bank ( XXXX XXXX in  XXXX XXXX, Tennessee  ) had entered the Education Loan Account Number wrong. On XX/XX/2020, the Clerk at my ' Bank called Western Union and had them correct the account number and resend the {$400.00} payment. However, since the Loan Payment Processing Center 's equipment was still broke down ( and still is ), the funds were never received by the Loan Department of XXXX XXXX and never credited to my daughter 's Education Loan Account. After dozens of calls and many, many hours on the phone with my ' Bank, Western Union and XXXX XXXX, first to get the payment credited to my daughter 's Education Loan Account, then later to get my ' {$400.00} refunded with no luck, I called the Bank Manager ( XXXX XXXX ) at my ' Bank on XX/XX/2020 and had her make inquiries and to request again as to where my ' {$400.00} was and to get it refunded. XXXX XXXX finally returned the {$400.00} back to Western Union on XX/XX/2020 and Western Union was supposed to refund the money back to me and provide me with a tracking number, so I could get my ' {$400.00} back. The Bank Manager again called Western Union on XX/XX/2020 but they said they did not have the money back from XXXX XXXX when they actually had the money on XX/XX/2020. They advised her to call back in 48 hours. When she called back on XX/XX/2020, they would not provide her with any information on my ' {$400.00} refund and actually hung up on her. I called XXXX XXXX shortly thereafter on XX/XX/2020 to insure that my ' {$400.00} had been returned to Western Union and they confirmed that it had been returned. I then called West Union and gave them all of the information but they said they still had not received the {$400.00} from XXXX XXXX. I advised them that it had been returned on XX/XX/2020 and that I wanted this issue which has carried on for a month and a half resolved or I was filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I was then assured that the {$400.00} refund would be available to me today XX/XX/2020 and for me to call them for the Tracking Number. I called them at XXXX XXXX  EDT today ( XX/XX/2020 ) and inquired about my ' refund but had to ask to be transferred to another individual due to not being able to understand the person because of my ' XXXX XXXX XXXX I suffered while serving in the XXXX XXXX. As requested, I was transferred to another representative and was told they could not help me at that time and was told to call back later and then the representative hung up on me. It seems that the Foreign Personnel that Western Union employs to take Customer Service calls and complaints, neither have the knowledge, expertise and/or the authority to determine the status of my ' {$400.00} refund or even where it is. The ones that are able to make the determination, state that it is awaiting approval by one or more persons that have the authority but apparently have no desire to approve the refund of my ' money. All I ask, is that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau contact Western Union and insure that they not only approve the refund of my ' {$400.00} but also that they provide me with a Tracking Number, so I can go to a Western Union Office or provider of their services and get my ' money back. I will provide the Western Union Tracking Number of the original transaction and which is still valid concerning this matter as well as any other information needed upon request. Thank you!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation