Consumer complaint received 2015-12-27
Company: MONEYGRAM PAYMENT SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE INC
State: OR
Product: Money transfers
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Other service issues

Complaint:
I initiated an online money transfer with a service called : Moneygram. The remittance of {$150.00}. plus the {$15.00}. transaction fee was to be billed to my debit card. I received an email summarizing the transaction and providing me with a tracking reference number. I then received a second email stating : We need a little more information to process your transaction. and directing me to call customer service for help completing the transaction. The " customer service '' is a call center in a foreign country with very poor reception. The first representative would only identify himself as " XXXX '' despite my request for further information concerning to whom I was speaking. He proceeded to ask me some personal information as to my relationship with the recipient and the purpose of the transaction. I made it very clear that I was comfortable with the said transaction. He then told me that my bank had declined the transaction because my address that I listed turned out to be incorrect ( which turned out to be a lie ). I then proceeded to discuss the matter with my bank. My bank informed me that the transaction would have gone through ( and it was listed on my online account statement ) but that the amount requested was {$0.00}. I then proceeded to contact Moneygram 's " customer service '' a second time and spoke with " XXXX '' ( who also declined to provide me with any additional information about her identity ) { I would like to note that these " customer service representatives '' have a very poor telephone reception and are constantly threatening to terminate the conversation saying that I have a poor connection when in fact I have very a very clear reception }. XXXX informed me that my transaction was declined because, quote : '' Moneygram is uncomfortable with this transaction '' and that " she could be of no further assistance ''. The specific complaints that I have are listed as follows : 1. I was lied to by " XXXX '' about the reason that my transaction was declined which caused me to experience undo anxiety about the status of my debit card and to waste my time and resources with an unnecessary call to my bank. 
2. I was misled by Moneygram 's claim : " We make it easy to send and receive money '' 3. I was lied to in an e-mail claiming that they only needed some additional information to complete the transaction when in fact they were denying the transaction and therefore wasting my time. 
4.The format of their payment page requires you to provide your debit card information before you can view your transaction details which I believe is incorrect. 
5.In addition, I have found out that under moneygrams " terms and conditions '' privacy policy XXXX that " moneygram may disclose my personal information '' to " direct marketers '' which I believe is a violation of my privacy rights. 
6. Moneygram 's " customer service '' is basically ineffectual and the representatives seem to be instructed to give clients a complete runaround and lie to them. 
Furthermore I would like to point out that the intended recipient is in medical need and his reception of the funds could amount to a matter of life and death.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation