Consumer complaint received 2015-05-07
Product: Money transfers — International money transfer
Issue: Other transaction issues — 
Company: MONEYGRAM PAYMENT SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE INC (NC)

It all began, when I got a call from XXXX of my siblings in XXXX informing me that XXXX of our other siblings has been scheduled to under his XXXX the following day. I was informed that everyone that could give something had already done so, and that the balance to be collected was XXXX ( about {$400.00} ), and this was my part. 
I then went to XXXX store, as I have done numerous times, and sent the money. Usually, I had to call MoneyGram and have them release the fund by answering several questions about the receiver ( place of birth, date of birth, etc ). So, I called them up. The agent told me everything was good. The money has been released, cleared for pick up. I called my folks as usual and gave them the " Reference Number '' of the transaction. This is the number that the receiver will present at the pick up location and complete the transaction. 
He went to pick up the fund, but the agent could not pull the transaction record, even with the Reference Number. Should could not pull any transactions by his name or using any sort of ID. They told him the problem is in the USA. They called me, I called MoneyGram, and moneygram would tell me, 'ok, everything is ok now '. I will call home, they tried again, and agin. But they could not pull up the transaction. This was going on for three days. At some point they told me to ask the recipient to call Moneygram at the agent location. They called moneygram location, but they could not pull the record of this transaction. They, moneygram location in XXXX, actually read to me an error message that was popping up on their screen, which was, " this is not a valid Reference Number ''. They further told me that even if they could pull the record, there was no place on their screen to input any question/answers the moneygram wanted to ask the recipient. They have no idea what to do if they could not pull up the transactions. Even if they could, they do n't know why they would not have to give out the fund. I then called moneygram and explained the situation again and again. By the second day, I had to send another {$400.00} to the first recipient 's wife, so she could pick up and go pay off the XXXX, while I am fighting this case. 
XXXX of the final conversations I had with this moneygram people was that I should go back to the store and have the money retracted. So, I did. But when I asked for the retraction at XXXX, moneygram then told their agent it was not possible. They said, the only way this fund can be released is after they have spoken with the recipient. First, the recipient had done everything humanly possible to speak with them, but it was impossible. Secondly, the recipient is now in the hospital. And, thirdly, they blamed USA Govt for their own policies. They said, this is what US govt wanted them to do. This is a XXXX watch list that was put together by the US. And, that I could not get this money back. I said, this is not right. They can not be the police, the judge and the executioner all at the same time. This is really un-America. So, I called the police, and the police, after hearing me tell him that I could not get my money back because the recipient 's or similar name was on a XXXX watch list, he actually was kind of glad I did not succeed in sending the money. He actually asked me why I should get the money back. He automatically assumed I was not a citizen. He said, 'those of us that are citizens, we can easily work to the court house and file a complaint ' as a civil matter. So, I asked him, if I would have to be a citizen in order to be heard? He said, no. But the damage was already done. This is in XXXX, NC. Can you believe my luck ; it just seemed that the nightmare wo n't end for me. 
Luckily for me, I looked on the receipt and I found this Consumer Protection Info.