Consumer complaint received 2018-10-30
Company: WESTERN UNION COMPANY, THE
State: GA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Unexpected or other fees

Complaint:
This complaint is about 1 ) undisclosed fees and 2 ) unfair charges/unfair business procedures that result in a negative cost to the payee to return the money order amount to Western Union for resolution. The payee ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX ) would be out a negative - {$2.00} for a 13 month old {$50.00} check, if Western Union policies were followed in order to collect on this {$50.00} check. 
Facts ; Western Union money order purchased XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$50.00} at a XXXX Grocery Store Agent # XXXX dated again XX/XX/XXXX Transaction XXXX by purchaser XXXX XXXX, ( a retired XXXX Veteran ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX. 
Check was sent to Payee to repay a debt/personal loan of {$50.00}. 
Check was misplaced for one year. Check was discovered & deposited on XX/XX/XXXX to Payee 's checking account at XXXX XXXX XXXX. Check bounced & payee was charged {$5.00} Returned Unpaid Check by Payee 's XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
Reverse side of check says checks over 1 year old will be charged $ XXXX/mon over 12 mos. Western Union many calls to Customer Service resulted in numerous tasks and online submission of claim affadavit that must be completed by Payee, Printed, Notarized, then Submitted to Western Union office. Payee would be returned {$32.00}, minus a new {$30.00} Administrative Service fee, resulting in a check for {$2.00}.

After a completion of all this, Payee would still be out - {$2.00}, since Payee 's bank charged {$5.00} when Western Union check was deposited on XX/XX/XXXX. 

During the many calls & conversations with Western Union Customer Service today, phone XXXX, we were 1 ) put on indefinite hold 2 ) transferred to ESOL Customer Service Agents 3 ) Instructed that they were unable to hear us our our complaint. 2 times, we were instructed physically dreive to XXXX, GA ( we live in XXXX, GA ~130 miles away ) to try and resolve this issue.4 ) We were instructed to go online to westernunion.com, click on HELP, Write in " How do I request money order refund '', click on Payee, Complete & Print all forms, have all these forms  notarized, make photo copies & keep for our records, Send originals to Western Union as per instructions on website. 
After doing all the above, we were told that Western Union would send a check to Payee XXXX XXXX for {$2.00} ( the amount Western Union felt that were due since their new checks Service Charges are now {$1.00} per month for any checks over 30 days old. ) If you check the back of the enlarged Western Union Money Order sent to Payee, It says that the amount of $ XXXXmonth for any Money Order over 1 year old ( not 30 days old ). 
These type of unfair practices prey on the most needy of our society who can not manage their funds or a checking account. 
Please note, The Payee is not a Veteran -- The Purchaser of the Western Union check is a retired XXXX Veteran who has difficulty managing his money. The Payee is his older  brother who helps him out from time to time.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation