Western Union Money Order Fee

How To Cancel Or Replace Money Orders

How to write or cash a western union money order

The Balance / Theresa Chiechi

As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, Change is the only constant in life. So what happens if your plans change after you buy a money order and drop it in the mail? What if it goes missing or gets stolen?

With most money order issuers, including USPS, Western Union, and MoneyGram, you can cancel the payment. To do so, either fill out a form or take the money order back to the place you originally bought it. Bring identification and any information you have about the money order to start the process. Its best if you have a receipt from your original money order purchase.

If successful, the issuer should return funds to you, often within about 60 days.

The sooner you act, the better: If the money order gets cashed or deposited, youll have a much harder time getting your money back. Read on for more details about the process.

How To Fill Out A Money Order

To complete a money order form, follow these simple steps:

Pay the nominal administration fee if sending from a post office or retail location.

Fill in the amount you wish to send and verify that this is correct.

Fill in your name and contact information.

Fill in your receivers name and contact information.

If there is a memo line or box, similar to a cheque, specify the purpose of the transfer. This is not usually compulsory, though some locations may ask for it, especially if you are sending a high amount.

Some forms have a box reserved for a secret question and its answer. Fill in this box, and the recipient will have to give the answer in order to collect the money.

Finally, if youre sending at a store-based location, sign the form to confirm all the information you have provided is correct. If you are sending online, this is where proof of ID may be required.

Pay for your money order with cash, debit card or from your savings account. You will then receive your receipt and tracking number.

Fees For Canceling Money Orders

Canceling a money orderor finding out that its too late to do sowill cost you. Western Union and MoneyGram charge an $18 processing fee. But prices may rise if you dont have a copy of your original receipt or if you want to expedite the process. The fee to replace a lost or stolen USPS money order is $6.95.

Western Union Table Fees

To work out the exact costs for your transfer, youll be able to use the Western Union fees calculator online. Simply enter the currency you want to send to and from, the way you want to pay for the transfer, and how you want your recipient to get the money. This will show you an instant quote for both the fee and exchange rate available online and instore.

To give an illustration of the typical costs of a Western Union transfer lets look at an example: Sending USD1,000 to Canada in CAD. The range of costs and exchange rates on offer can be complex – well explore these a little more below the table.

Transfer paid by:

*Fees and exchange rates correct at time of research – 5 October 2020

How Much Does A Western Union Money Order Cost

How much a Western Union money order costs depends on where youre sending it and how youre paying for it.

For example, it costs less if you pay online using a credit or debit card than if you pay in cash in person at a Western Union branch.2 On Western Unions website, theres a price estimator that will help you get an idea of what it will cost to send your money.

But for an example, lets say you need to send $1000 from the US to the UK.

Paying online: it will cost from $2.99-$81 in fees, depending on how you pay and whether you want to send the money to a bank account or as cash for pickup.²
Paying in person: the fee will range from $8 to $58 depending on how you pay and how you want the money to reach your recipient.2

Its also important to note that Western Union will mark up the exchange rate it uses to convert currency when sending internationally. So those fees you see? They arent the only fees.

Western Union makes it clear:

Western Union also makes money from currency exchange.²

Which means youll want to get out a calculator and start comparing the exchange rate you see on your screen to the one you find on Google to find out how much that additional charge is going to cost you.

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Western Union Fees And Charges

The fees charged by Western Union vary according to where youre sending money, and also the payment method. Some of the steepest fees youll run into are from international money transfers with Western Union.

Here are the charges you need to know about:

Type of fee
Cancellation, query and alteration fees	Fees vary

Not all payment options are available in all countries and currencies, so youll need to check the specific details for your transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Western Unions Transfer Fees1 And Exchange Rates

The cost of a money transfer depends on a few factors, such as where you are sending money, how you are sending the money, and how quickly you want the money to get to your receiver.

You can get an estimate for your international money transfer with our price estimator, or by visiting the send money form and selecting your destination and entering the amount youâd like to send.

You may also receive transfer fee1 discounts and other promotions by registering with our loyalty program, My WU â , and can earn points every time you send a qualifying transfer.

Note: If you are using a credit card to send money online or over the phone, a credit card issuer cash advance fee and associated interest charges may apply. You can avoid these fees by using a debit card.

If you are sending money online or with the app, you can get a free estimate anytime and without an obligation to send money later using our price estimator.

You can also get an estimate by visiting the send money form and entering your destination and the amount youâd like to send.

Transfer fees1 and exchange rates provided are estimates only and are not guaranteed. Additional taxes and fees may apply.

Western Unionâs transfer fees1 depend on the destination, the transfer amount and how quickly you want your money to arrive. When sending money online or with the app, you can always check the applicable transfer fees1 and exchange rates before you make a transfer.

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Sending Funds Overseas Wise Could Save You Money

The fees and exchange rate costs used by Western Union can be confusing. If you want a simpler way to see the true costs of your international payment – take a look at Wise.

Transferwise payments are made using the mid-market exchange rate with no markup. Thats the same rate youll find on Google. You just pay a simple transparent fee for each transfer, which can work out much cheaper than alternative providers. Head over to the Wise website to see how it works – youll be able to get an instant quote, and see comparisons with other major money transfer services to help you find the best deal available.

Fast And Easy Online Money Transfers

How to Write Cash Fill Out Western Union Money Order

Send money online in just a few clicks. Transfer money to more than 200 countries and territories and billions of bank accounts around the world. Your receiver can get their money in a bank account, a mobile wallet2 or cash at an agent location with ease.

Check our agent locator on WU.com for country and agent location availability. We have over 150 years of experience moving money.

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Typical Western Union Fees

Foreign Exchange Transfer Fees

Perhaps the most complex of the fees Western Union charges is their foreign exchange fees.

Foreign exchange, even in a perfect world with no fees, can incur costs. This is because of the way currencies change in relation to one another.

If you buy 10 British pounds for $20 today, there is a chance youâll only get $18 for those pounds tomorrow.

This is a natural occurrence in the forex market and should be factored in by every international business.

One fee that brokers often charge is called a bid-ask spread. The bid price is the amount a broker will buy a currency for the ask is how much they will sell it to you for. The discrepancy in these prices is what you pay in fees as the bid-ask spread.

Western Union uses something called the mid-market rate.

This mid-market rate is calculated by finding the average of all bid-ask spreads and then using the median of all of those averages as the going rate.

The mid-market rate itself is a fair price – one that doesnât earn Western Union any profit. To make a profit, Western Union will charge up to 6% on top of your transaction.

This places them in the realm of âgood, but not the bestâ when it comes to forex exchange rates.

International Money Transfers

Fees for an international transfer are quite varied with Western Union.

They vary based on how quickly the money needs to be received, where your recipientâs located, and how much money is being transferred.

Send Money With Western Union

Deciphering the different types of money transfer fees can be confusing, but Western Union makes it easy with convenient ways to send and receive money. Send money online, with our money transfer app, or from hundreds of thousands of agent locations globally. Register online to get started today.

* Data valid as of March 11, 2021.

1 Earn 1 point for every $1 in qualifying transfer fees spent on a single transaction.

2 Western Union also makes money from currency exchange. When choosing a money transmitter, carefully compare both transfer fees and exchange rates. Fees, foreign exchange rates and taxes may vary by brand, channel, and location based on a number of factors. Fees and rates subject to change without notice. Fee reductions apply only to the Western Union® transfer fee for a single Western Union Money Transfer® or Quick Collect® transaction. Excludes all other services, including without limitation, online bill payments, and money transfers via social/chat applications. Points used will not be reversible and if amount of transfer fee is less than redeemed discount, no cash, credit or refund will be provided. Western Union reserves the right to offer promotions l discounts that cannot be combined with My WU® fee reductions.

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Fill Out Your Information In The Purchaser Fields

The purchaser is you. Whether it says From, Sender, Remitter, or Purchaser, this is where you enter your information. Western Union® money orders require your address and full name, but others may only have a field for your name. Use your full legal name and your current mailing address in this section.

Send Money And Get $0 Transfer Fee* In Your First Online Transaction

Do you need to send money overseas? Now, with Western Union Canada, you can make your international money transfer and get a 0$ fee* on your first online transaction! That is right: on your first online transaction with Western Union Canada, you will get a free transfer fee*!

And the best part is: you dont have to do anything special. All new members of Western Union making their first transfer in our app or website will automatically have a total discount in the transfers fee*.

But attention: this discount is valid only until 28th of February, 2023! So if you want to enjoy it, on your smartphone now and check how to make your first transfer and send money abroad below!

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What Is A Money Order

A money order is a form of postal payment that can be purchased from post offices and certain retailers, and is similar to a cheque. The difference between the two is that a money order cannot be rejected. They are prepaid and loaded with the cash amount. You cannot buy money orders with a credit card or cheque, as the form of payment needs to be guaranteed.

Many people use money orders as they dont necessarily require you to have a bank account and are an easy and straightforward way to get funds to where theyre needed. If you need to pay a bill or other important payment, for example, you dont need a credit or debit card. You can simply fill in the recipients information and it will be delivered to them via post or into their account if you send the money order online.

Note that the money order cant be used to settle a commercial transaction, as the transfer can only be made from individual to individual.

Forms You Need To Cancel A Money Order

To start the process immediately and see requirements, visit the customer service site for your money order issuer:

MoneyGram service forms

Keep your receipt any time you buy a money order. Its best to provide the receipt when canceling because it contains important information, like the money order number and other details.

If you dont have the receipt, gather as much information as you have. Even a photo of the original money order is helpful. Without a receipt, the issuer might be able to find your money order, but they may charge additional feesand theres always a chance that they wont find your money order without a receipt.

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Western Union International Transfer Fees

Western Union allows payments both at home and abroad, using a variety of methods. You can pay in cash at their pay-in store, online using a credit or debit card , or via a bank transfer.²

Your recipient can then collect their cash at a Western Union location near to them, or you can arrange to have the money sent directly to their bank account or even mobile wallet.² Not all payment and recipient options are available in all countries.

The fees for Western Union international transfers vary a lot depending on both how you want to fund the transfer, and how its received.

For example, if you wanted to send USD 1000 to a friend in Australia, and they needed to collect it in person, it would cost you USD 5 if funded from your bank account – but the same transaction would cost USD 34 if you pay using a credit card.²

Western Union Sending Money Limit

Send cash for our best fee, right now | Western Union

There are limits to how much you can send with Western Union. These limits are set according to your account history, where you and your recipient are located, and the type of payment youre making. When you log into your Western Union account and model the payment using the online fee calculator, youll be able to see the limits which apply to your chosen transfer.

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Research Exchange Rates Or Convert Before The Transfer

Many financial institutions use a marked-up exchange rate as part of their service fees. Because of this, some banks offer lower fees if you let them convert the funds before transferring, or if you provide the currency already converted. Contact your financial institution to see if this option is available.

How Much Does A Money Transfer Cost

As you can see above with the variable fees, figuring out how much a money transfer costs depends on several factors.

The table below shares some of the costs associated with money transfers for Canadas most popular banks:

Bank Name

As of 5/10/2021

Before initiating a transfer, use a bank or transfer services online calculator to estimate your money transfer fees and international money transfer fees. Western Unions online send money form makes it easy to start sending money because you know how much your transfer will cost.

How To Send Money With Western Union Canada And Get A 0$ Transfer Fee*

Once you have downloaded Western Union Canadas app, or accesed our website you will see it is quite easy to send money abroad. All you have to do is follow these steps:

Register and create an account: the first time you make a transfer with Western Union Canada, you will be asked to register and fill out the form with your personal info. Dont worry, you will only need to do that once, then the app will save your info for your next transfers

in this step, you will start your transfer. By clicking on the send money button, you will choose which country you wish to send money to. It is worth remembering that the amount you wish to send must be digited in Canadian dollars

Choose how the receiver will get the money: here, you will have tree options, either cash pickup , mobile wallet2, or directly in their bank accounts

Choose how do you want to pay for the transfer: you can pay through your 3, or by online transfer.

Review every detail of your transfer: if everything is ok, the app will tell you how much your transfer will cost. The transfer fee1 discount will appear automatically if this is your first time making a transfer with us. Write down the MTCN, the transaction identification number, so you can follow your transfer later.

3 If youre using a credit card, a card-issuer cash advance fee and associated interest charges may apply. To avoid these fees or for reduced fees, use a debit card or check other payment methods.