Security - FAQ
1. Are there common consumer fraud scenarios to be aware of?
2. I received a suspicious email from someone claiming to be Western Union Bank, what should I do?
3. Can the Test Question feature secure my funds or delay payment of a transaction?
4. Does Western Union Bank offer an escrow service or any kind of buyer protection?
5. Can I use Western Union to pay for online auctions?
6. What can I do if I suspect fraud or I am a victim of fraud?
7. What does Western Union do to protect my information?
8. How do I view the site's SSL Certificates to verify Web site's identity?
1. Are there common consumer fraud scenarios to be aware of?
Be wary if you are required to pay a fee before receiving a loan.
Beware of sweepstakes, prize or lottery company representatives who tell you to transfer money to them in order to claim a prize you’ve won. There are many companies running fraudulent contests that ask you to transfer them money but give you nothing in return.
Beware of unsolicited letters or emails from a Nigerian or other foreign government officials requesting assistance in the transfer of excess funds from a foreign country into your bank account.
Beware of telephone calls from the police claiming someone you know has been in an accident or arrested and is requesting money.
Beware of unsolicited letters or emails offering an unrealistic price for expensive or difficult to find merchandise.
Make sure you know to whom you are sending money. If you are purchasing goods or services and paying through the Western Union network, it is your responsibility to verify the reputation and legitimacy of the seller. Western Union Bank is not responsible for the non-receipt or quality of any goods or services.
2. I received a suspicious email from someone claiming to be Western Union Bank, what should I do?
Western Union Bank uses digital signatures on all emails it sends its customers. You may check the authenticity of this digital signature using your email client (please consult with your email provider for specific instructions).
If you receive an email from a company representing itself as Western Union Bank and you are not sure it was sent by westernunionbank.de or westernunionbank.com, do not click on any links in the email. This may be a “phishing” attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately forward the suspicious email to Western Union Bank.
Western Union Bank will never send you an email asking for your user ID; password or credit card details.
3. Can the Test Question feature secure my funds or delay payment of a transaction?
The “Test Question” feature in the Western Union® Money Transfer service is designed situations where the receiver does not have proper identification (e.g. his or her wallet and identification have been stolen). It should never be used as additional security to time or delay the payment of a transaction. In many locations, Western Union Bank will pay the receiver whenever the receiver shows proper identification, even if the receiver does not know the answer to the test question.
4. Does Western Union Bank offer an escrow service or any kind of buyer protection?
Western Union Bank does not offer an escrow service or any type of “purchase protection” policy. We caution people who use our services against sending money to people they don’t know. It is the sender’s responsibility to know the party to which the funds are being sent. Using a fictitious name or changing the Receiver name after the money transfer has been sent is not a guaranteed menas of securing funds. If a receiver presents proper identification with the same name as on the money transfer, payment will be made.
Be wary of 3rd party “collection” or “holding” services unless they are a reputable, licensed escrow service. Western Union is not an escrow service, should not be used as an escrow service and is currently not affiliated with any escrow services.
5. Can I use Western Union to pay for online auctions?
Western Union strongly recommends that you do not use money transfer services to settle purchases from online auctions. Report any suspicious activity and file non-delivery of goods complaints with the auction site through which you purchased the item.
Remember that Western Union Bank never acts as a guarantor of an auction buyer or seller’s performance.
6. What can I do if I suspect fraud or I am a victim of fraud?
Contact your government’s Office of Consumer Affairs if you are uncertain or suspicious of a telephone, mail or email solicitation.
If you feel you have been the victim of fraud, you can contact your local police or get help form one of the following resources:
- http://www.polizei-beratung.de (Crime Prevention Program of the German Police)
- https://www.a-i3.org (Task force for protection of identity on the internet)
7. What does Western Union do to protect my information?
Western Union employs a variety of technique, including SSL technology, to keep your personal information safe.
Additionally, the following tips can help keep your password secure:
Make your password difficult to guess. Avoid using any part of your name, your birthday or any words that can easily be associated with you
Use a combination of letters and numbers, and a mix of lower case and capital letters.
Use a combination of letters and numbers, and a mix of lower case and capital letters.
Use multiple passwords for your various accounts to decrease your risk in case one password is compromised.
Avoid writing your password down where it may be compromised.
You can further protect your passwords by making sure that your virus-scanning software is kept up to date, and by running anti-spyware programs. These programs can help protect you from viruses or other malware that could compromise your identity—even though your computer may seem to be working fine.
If you use Microsoft Windows, make sure your Windows updates are enabled to help keep your operating system protected. You can learn more about Microsoft Windows updates at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
Use extra caution when entering your password on a computer that does not belong to you. Viruses, spyware, or the browser’s settings might be used to compromise your account by recording your user name and password.
8. How do I view the site's SSL Certificates to verify Web site's identity?
In Microsoft Internet Explorer you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:
Right-click your mouse on any secure page within the site (any page beginning with "HTTPS://" with the small lock symbol displayed in the lower righthand corner).
Click "Properties" from the menu.
Click on the "Certificates" button to view the site's SSL certificate(s).
In Mozilla Firefox you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:
On any secure page within a site (those pages beginning with "HTTPS://" with the small lock symbol displayed in the lower righthand corner), go to the "Tools" menu at the top of the browser window and select, "Page Info".
In the dialog box that appears, select the "Security" tab.
On the Security tab, click on the "View" button to view the security certificate.
