how risky can western union be?

i always assumed there was nothing that could go wrong just with the WU transfers, but if you have like over 10 payments that are used with the same name but 2 alternating addresses (real, and postal codes matching) and alternating phone numbers is it possible they would investigate?

 

its possible that it can be used as evidence if the cops are on to you but western union doesnt investigate dick unless the feds ask them to...google ''western union fraud'' and you will see that they kinda have their hands full

Results 1 - 10 of about 14,100,000 for western union fraud.

 

i always try to use moneygram with a fake name

 

any advantage with moneygram over WU?

 

it's cheaper, and they ask very few questions.

it seems to be FOR fraud/illegal activity...not that that's what any of us intend to use it for.

they only require an ID for transfers over $999 [usd]

 

western union has a ''no id'' option for sending money...any name ,with an identifying question ...i have done it tons of times

 

you don't even need the identifying question, i've never used it. i've only been questioned once out of the 10 or so times i've sent it, and that was because I was sending money to india and i don't look too old - i told the bitch i was buying a guitar amp from someone i knew online and everything went well.

 

i've only sent money to my cousin's roommate for X reason involving X occasion...but they rarely even ask

 

I know someone (stupid) who sent many thousand dollars to an overseas country via WU using his real ID. He thought he would be safe if he did it like $500 at a time over a month or two. IRS ended up raiding him and seizing all of his computers, and he has been under investigation for some time now (although I stopped contacting him a few months ago as last I heard from him he was under surveillance). He will probably be charged with money laundering or maybe tax evasion.

There was another dude who got busted a few months back. He was sending western union to pay for oxy. His oxy source got busted a while back, made international news actually I am sure some of you have heard about him. Anyways it turns out the customer was under investigation for two years and for every single western union the feds watched him send he was charged with a count of MONEY LAUNDERING. How did they watch him send the western unions? Simple, they bugged the vendors hushmail account (see why I tell people to use GPG?) and just watched him send the MTCN. Plus they had physical surveillance on him after a while. Money laundering charges carry penalties up to 20 or 40 years (can't remember). He sent like 9 western unions so he got 9 counts of money laundering. Importing the oxy he would have gotten out in a few years probably, but with that many counts of money laundering he is prob gone for good.

be safe sending money =).

 

Both those stories SUCK, but i feel even more sorry for the second guy.

If you put an address and postal code that doesn't match on the form, do they get suspicious? I haven't done this yet but then i could just as well use the address for my PO box.

 

i should point out that my money sending experience was always very small[1or2 hundred] and within canada and never fo drugs also ...i dont believe id is needed to send money in canada...do you show id in the US?

 

depends on how much you send and where you send it to. Some places make you always show ID though it really depends. But in general you dont have to if its with in USA or to many other countries and under a certain amount.

 

Why isn't a money order better?

 

even if its internationally its either always under less than 500 or 1000 (1000 in canada) you don't have to show ID even if its internationally.

 

I think it might depend on the country you are sending to also (but not sure).

 

Its wise to never send more than $450 US when sending a money transfer oversea's. This is doubly true when you are sending multiple transfers in a short period of time.

 

western union is the DEA entrapment payment method of choice, so is moneygram. if you want to protect yourself as a buyer never use them. even if you don't show ID, there's a picture of you wiring money. also the employee can testify yes, it was you who paid to send money.

when the DEA busted Marc Emery Direct for selling seeds, they intercepted the mail coming and going to the US with an MLAT treaty and then sent fake scam letters to the receiver asking for western union or moneygram. (so they can get you for proof of payment)

it also claimed they couldn't ship to a PO box anymore, and you had to use your home address (so they can find your grow).

so do the opposite of everything in this letter and you'll have no problems ie: mail a money order with the pay-to name blank and nothing else in there besides your email address. when you receive product, don't sign for anything. there's nothing they can do as ZERO US customers of Marc Emery Direct ended up being busted according to cannabis culture forums and the public extradition trial records (also he kept no records or emails, hope your supplier does the same) http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/4483.html

 

^ Wow that's the fake letter? That's a bit extreme, I'm surprised they can legally do that. Lovely information nonetheless.