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Many foreign people residing in the United States frequently need to send money to relatives or associates located in other countries and for this they use the services of the Western Union company.
Western Union is a company that offers money transfer services practically all over the planet.
It currently has offices in more than half a million cities and towns in 200 countries.
But many wonder how much does it cost to send money by Western Union? And how does this company work?
We are going to review some details of this company born in the United States
What services does Western Union offer?
Western Union began by offering the parcel or money remittance service.
A person at a US agency could send money to another person anywhere in the world, who would collect the remittance in cash.
Subsequently, it expanded its services and incorporated a platform that allows shipments to be made online or from a mobile phone, using an application for iOS or Android.
This application also allows you to pay bills, track a previous transfer, and pay bills inside and outside the United States.
It also allows you to review the exchange rates between the US dollar and the 130 different national currencies with which the company operates worldwide.
How do you send money via Western Union?
The process of sending money is simple, either online or in person at an agency.
First you must indicate where you want to send the money or remittance.
Secondly, you must indicate the method of payment for the shipment, that is, if it will be made by debit card, check, credit card or cash.
Finally, the exact data of the person who will withdraw the money at the destination site must be given. This person will be the only one who will be able to receive your shipment.
Fees and costs of sending money by Western Union
It is important to understand that this company makes a profit for the service it provides.
Each money sent is subject to a small commission charge, which will vary depending on the amount sent and the tax regulations applied by the receiving country.
The availability and variation of the currency exchange at the destination site also influences, as well as particular operating costs that may exist in said country.
In addition, the commission or rate may vary depending on the type of service requested, that is, if it is a remittance of money, payment of an invoice or international service.
Another factor that affects the cost of sending money through Western Union is the way selected to deliver it to the recipient.
In this case the rate is different if the delivery will be in cash, bank deposit or check.
In addition, Western Union makes a profit managing the daily exchange rate between the US dollar and the legal currency of the destination country.
For this reason, it is possible that the receiving person will not receive the amount of money in local currency that they could receive if they used an exchange house or a bank.
In compliance with European Union regulations, Western Union publishes on its website the list of rates it charges for shipments from Europe to the rest of the world.
However, in the case of shipments made from the United States, whether domestic or any other country, the company urges customers to consult its price estimator.
When using the Western Union price estimator, you must choose the country to which the money will be sent, the amount to send and the method of sending (online, mobile application or by an agency).
You must also choose whether the collector will receive it in the form of a bank deposit or in cash in local currency.
Finally, you must choose the form of payment, debit card, credit card, bank account charge, bank transfer or cash at an authorized agency.
Depending on the method chosen, the Western Union price estimator will indicate the estimated delivery time and the fee to be charged for the operation.