Is Western Union safe?
If you’re sending money, you want to know that it’ll arrive safely. This is a particular concern when you’re sending money abroad. That’s why it’s important to choose a money transfer service that takes safety seriously.
Is Western Union safe? At Western Union, we’re committed to security. We have a range of measures in place to prevent fraud and keep your money transfers secure. For over 160 years, we’ve taken great pride in facilitating the reliable and effective movement of money worldwide.
Here’s the lowdown on our consumer protection and how you can protect yourself to send money safely.
Western Union’s safety measures
Our security measures are in place to keep your money transfers secure. We’re committed to providing a reliable money transfer service you’ll want to use again and again.
So, how safe is Western Union? Safety features we implement online include:
- End-to-end encryption
- TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certification
- Multi-factor authentication
- Identity verification
For large money transfers, we require additional verification with documents to validate your occupation and the source of funds.
Is the Western Union app safe? We have the same measures in place on our money transfer app as we do online, in addition to biometric authentication for some extra security. This includes face and fingerprint recognition on smart devices so only you can log into the app.
How to keep your information safe online
While Western Union safety measures are here to protect you, you also have an important part to play in keeping your transfers secure. Here are some top tips to avoid fraud when sending money abroad:
- Only send money to people you know. Our transfer service is designed for you to send money to loved ones in different countries. To avoid scams, don’t send money to anyone you don’t know.
- Create a secure password. Use a unique password you don’t use anywhere else. Include numbers, a mix of lower- and upper-case letters, and special characters. Avoid using anything easy to guess, like your name, birthdays, or words associated with you. When you’ve chosen a password, avoid recording it anywhere that it could be found.
- Watch out for common fraud scenarios. Be wary of common scams requiring you to transfer money, like prize or lottery wins, unsolicited emails claiming to be from government officials, phone calls claiming to be from police to say a loved one has been arrested or in an accident, and letters or emails offering a price for something that sounds too good to be true.
- Beware of phishing emails. If you receive an email claiming to be from Western Union, check if it was sent by westernunion.com or westernunion.ie. If not, it may be a phishing attempt. Do not click on any links in the email. Western Union will never ask you to provide your user ID, password, or financial details in an email.
- Use antivirus protection. If you’re sending money online, you should use antivirus protection software to protect you from malware and spyware. Keep your computer updated to protect your operating system.
Learn more about how to protect yourself from fraud.
What to do if you’re a victim of fraud
It happens. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, there are a few steps you can take.
- File a fraud claim with Western Union as soon as possible.
- Report it to the authorities. Find out where to report fraud here.
- Share any suspicious emails with Western Union for monitoring. Forward the email to spoof@westernunion.com.
- If your transfer has not been paid, contact the Western Union fraud hotline on 0800 026 0309 as soon as possible.
Got more questions about consumer protection?
If you’re still asking, ‘Is Western Union safe to send money?’, you can check out our FAQs to find out more about our consumer protection policies.
We’re happy to answer any questions you have if you can’t find the answer to your question online. Visit our customer support page to chat with us or find an agent location to visit us in-store.
