Western Union Western Union - Absolutely awful and incompetent customer service and online security Internet, Internet

Western Union - Absolutely awful and incompetent customer service and online security

I had an online account with Western Union and forgot my password. To retrieve it, I simply had to enter my email address and high school mascot (security question). Every other online money-transfer site has EMAIL CONFIRMATION for this feature, but Western Union does not!!!! With just my email and a bit of information (both of which can be found out from Facebook after a 1-minute search), I was able to change my password! This means that ANYONE can change your password and have full access to your bank accounts and credit cards which are linked to Western Union online!!!! They dont even have to access your email inbox!!

USE PAYPAL IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET ROBBED.

After realizing for bizarre and unintelligent their system is, I wanted to close my Western Union online account immediately. On the WU website, you are instructed to email helpdesk@westernunion.com to close your account. I did this and immediately received a delivery failed response because this address doesnt even exist.

I called Western Union and spent 30 minutes on hold before finally getting in touch with a clerk in their web department. He told me that he is not able to close my web account (even though he works in the web department) and that the email address on their website is wrong. He instructed me to email web.helpdesk@westernunion.com . I emailed that email address and heard no answer for several days. I did not even get a confirmation that they received my request. I emailed again after several days. No response.

So I called again. This time, I spent 30 minutes on the phone being shuffled from one representative to another who couldnt solve the problem. Then, they put me on hold for 20 minutes in a row before I grew tired of being blown off and hung up.

So I called again. This time, I was sure to take down the representatives names and employee ID numbers, as I had a feeling the call would end in much the same way as before. I was first put through to customer service rep Syrenna (#722) who couldnt solve the problem and said shed connect me with a web department representative. I was put on hold and after 5 minutes, Gloria (#851) answered the phone. She was ALSO a customer service rep and not in the web department at all. She asked me to hold for the web department (again) and I stayed on hold for 15 minutes before I grew tired of being blown off and hung up.

So I called AGAIN. This time Shauni (#332) answered the phone. I asked to be connected immediately to a supervisor. I was connected to Latoya (#574), supervisor of general customer service. I voiced my complaint and she put me on hold for the supervisor of the web department.

FINALLY, Joel (#168) a web department clerk (and not the supervisor, as promised) picks up the phone. He asks me to hold for the supervisor. I hold for 5 minutes before Joel returns and says that the supervisor is busy with a phone call. I ask him for his supervisors name and he doesnt know. He puts me on hold for 5 more minutes. Then Joel picks up the phone and informs me that he will now try to connect me (what has he been doing all this time??) to the supervisor of the web department. I hold for 5 more minutes.

Sean (#012) picks up the phone. He doesnt know why my account hasnt been closed as it should have been, by now. I ask him what the next step is. He says Ill email you in a few days. Ok Then, I mention that Western Unions online security is pathetic compared to similar companies like PayPal. He immediately disagrees, without bothering to ask what the security problems are. I ask whether hed like to know the nature of these problems and he replies that it doesnt apply to him because HE DOES NOT WORK IN THE WEB DEPARTMENT. He doesnt know anything about online accounts because he works in the money transfer department! My call was MISROUTED to him!

I tell Sean that I will be lodging complaints about this service and he informs me that I have the right to do so, as though I need him to remind me of that. He then dictates a phone number twice (732-323-1000), for Western Unions corporate office, as I intend to file a complaint.

I call the phone number and it is a NAVY base.

My online account is still open.