Dear Claudienne

ON December 12, 2009, my cousin sent US$200 to me from Florida through Western Union. My cousin used my pet name to do the transfer and when I went to the Sampar office at Three Miles to check if the money had arrived I was told that it was there. I was also told that since the money was sent to me in my pet name which differed from the Christian name on my ID, the sender would have to make a correction for me to get it.

When my cousin went to the Western Union office on December 18, 2009 to have the pet name changed, she was told that the money had already been collected in Jamaica on December 16, 2009.

I went to the Western Union office at Tobago Terrace and spoke to a supervisor who informed me that an investigation would have to be conducted by the overseas office. She said that the system showed that the money had been collected. She said that the money was not mine “until it gets into your hands”.

The money could not have been collected without proper identification, signature, sender and receiver information. I would like to know what recourse I have as I was given no assurance that this matter would be resolved in a satisfactory or timely manner.

It has left me much inconvenienced as I needed the money to do some business over the holidays.

SB

Dear SB

We spoke to GraceKennedy Remittance Services, agents for Western Union (WU) in Jamaica on Tuesday, January 26. Grace informed Tell Claudienne that you were advised to tell the sender to make a request to WU in the United States for a formal investigation to be done as the contract was between WU and the sender. The process of investigating a wrong payment claim would only begin after this was done, Grace explained.

However, when we relayed Grace’s instructions, you pointed out that the sender had already informed the WU head office in the US of the missing money. You also informed Tell Claudienne that WU by e-mail dated January 4, 2010 suggested that you inform the police in Jamaica of the situation.

The WU email said in part: “Our paid in error investigation related to money transfer ….. has been closed.

“We strongly suggest you contact your local law enforcement to report this incident. WU also advises you to report any incident of suspected fraud from an Internet website to the FBI Internet Complaint Centre (IFCC) at www.ic3. gov.”

Since Grace was not aware of this correspondence between you and WU we faxed a copy of this e-mail to them on Thursday, January 28, and they said that an investigation would be done.

You have now informed us that on Friday, January 29, WU in the US informed the sender by phone that the money had been found and she should visit their office and make the name change.

We note that on making the name change the sender called you. We further note that you collected the US$200 at a WU branch downtown Kingston the following day, Saturday, January 30.

On Tuesday Grace Remittance told us that the pay-out agent made an error when she paid the money to someone else with your pet name and surname on December 16. The error was made because this person was a regular customer known to the payout agent. Because she knew her, the credentials of the sender as well as the receiver were apparently not thoroughly checked. However, the person who collected your money in error eventually returned it.

Grace said that they tried to contact you on Monday but your phone was not answered.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 511-2436 or write to: Tell Claudienne, c/o Sunday Finance Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com