Consumer complaint received 2022-01-28
Company: MONEYGRAM PAYMENT SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE INC
State: OK
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Money order
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Money Gram has defrauded and cheated me, a senior citizen, by first charging exorbitant processing and service fees for 3 money order replacement requests and then completely stealing my all money and refusing to reissue new money orders for another XXXX money order replacement requests. 

I purchased numerous money orders, from MoneyGram, at XXXX. I deposited XXXX ( XXXX ) of them in my checking account at XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX and MoneyGram refused to pay them. I contacted them and was told to go to their site on-line to redeem them. I followed the instructions for all XXXX on XX/XX/2021. The site information stated that there was an {$18.00} processing fee and the replacement value was the amount after the {$18.00} processing fee was subtracted. However, when XXXX ( XXXX ) of the money orders there was an additional exorbitant Service Charge on each. 

1 ) {$230.00} was charged a Net Processing Fee of {$18.00} and a Service Charge of {$63.00} resulting in the Net Amount of {$140.00} for the {$230.00} money order. 
2 ) {$500.00} was charged a Net Processing Fee of {$18.00} and a Service Charge of {$54.00} resulting in the Net Amount of {$420.00} for a {$500.00} money order.

3 ) {$500.00} was charged a Net Processing Fee of {$18.00} and a Service Charge of {$54.00} resulting in the Net Amount of {$420.00} for a {$500.00} money order.

Your date of birth is requested on the Money order replacement form. Why? Your date of birth is not required to purchase or use their money orders. Consequently, could age have been the deciding factor to make a decision to price gorge, for fees and service charges, on some of the money orders and to just cheat me out of all the rest of the money for the others? 

After one month, when no other money order replacements had been received, I contacted them regarding the other XXXX ( XXXX ) money order replacements still not received. They claimed that they hadn't even received requests for the other XXXX ( XXXX ). I could not get any results from using either the link they provided in their email response or the original money order serial number and amount. 

The following shows that the money order replacement requests were submitted. 

1 ) XX/XX/2021 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX. Please allow 7 total business days to process your request. To follow the status for your case, click on the following link XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 2 ) XX/XX/2021 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX XXXX Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX. 

3 ) XX/XX/2021 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX. 

4 ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX 6 ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX. 

XXXX ) XX/XX/2021 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Oklahoma, XXXX Case # XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, Your Money Order replacement request has been received. Your case number is XXXX Please see attached files, from my follow-up on the missing money order replacement requests, via chats with MoneyGram customer service representatives .

I then went back to the site given, by the MoneyGram representatives, but was unable to process and upload pictures of the documents ( provided by the bank ) because after many attempts. The site kept stating that the catcha was not correct, and then it sent a message that the site was not working properly. This happened at several of MoneyGrams divisions when I tried to upload copies of my money orders.

One of the MoneyGram agents stated that the back of the money order stub stated that there would be penalties after one year. I am enclosing, the front and back, of several money order stubs I purchased and there is NO notation of this on either. See attached file. 

I am still owed for XXXX ( XXXX ) money orders in the amounts of {$500.00} ; {$500.00} ; {$750.00} ; & XXXX ; & {$500.00} totaling {$3000.00}. I would like to have replacement money orders without any processing or service fees taken and refunds on the other exorbitant service charges and fees taken from the XXXX money order replacements.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation