Hi

I'm in the UK and I'm after some advice, please. I received an enquiry this morning - it wasn't just a 'spam' email, as it's come via the contact form on my website...


Hi I'm from USA. Can I buy cake online I will pay via western union and my friend will come to pick up the cake. Is this possible?



I don't know anything about Western Union and I don't know if this could be a scam? If they transfer money to me, is it secure? Can they 'get it back' or access my bank account via the details, do you think??

In the UK, people frequently pay via direct transfer - ie putting the money directly into my bank account. All they need is my account number and sort code... the same information that would be on a cheque. But I just don't know anything about Western Union.

Many thanks.

Suzanne x

Relznik, Hi!
I live in Miami, I have receive some Western Union money transfers and have also have sent some to my daughter. The only thing they ask from you, should be your complete name as is shown in your identification and the place or city where you are.Example: my daughter lives in Tallahassee Florida.
Wester Union only needs to have my daughters name +city+state(Florida) and sometimes they will ask for phone number. The person that is sending it will get a number which she in turn E=mail to you. My daughter in Tallahassee only has to go to any place that does this (here in the states is to any supermarket that has this service) show her identification and give the transaction number given by me and collect the money. No financial information is given. No bank account nor anything. and they can not get the money back,... unless you wire it back. So the only information that you give is complete name and location that is all.
HTH

CIAO

I may be wrong, but to me Western Union screams "scam!". Why can't they pay with a credit card or paypal? Why can't the friend who is picking it up come in and pay for it beforehand? Who uses Western Union besides scammers? Everyone uses credit or debit cards or paypal.

Thank you soledad and Jess for your replies.

I appreciate what soledad says - however, like Jess, it just screams 'scam' to me.

Poor Western Union, LOL!

They didn't come back to me, so that adds to my suspicions.

That scam has been circulating for years, this is just slight wording difference!

It's a scam. Be careful.

This instance may very well be a scam but I just wanted to let you know that a lot of people use Western Union. People that don't have bank accounts or if you're dealing with someone that doesn't have a bank account Western Union is one of the few choices you have of transferring money.

Yes. I wanted to say that too. I'm in the US and I send money to my sister in South America through Western Union because it's fast (right away) and she does have a bank account and I do have mine, but when I go to Western Union, all I have to have is her name and city. She picks up anywhere she wants.

I also try not to use my debit or credit card on the internet much. I buy cake magazines from South America and I send the money to the publisher through Western Union. I don't want my card number roaming around the world.

Western Union is not a scam. That email is. The paper I fill out at Western Union has warnings about this type of scam. It tells you not to ever give account numbers to anyone pretending they're Western Union.

Thank you. x

Relznik, just in case, some reading for you.

http://caketalk.typepad.com/caketalk/2008/08/wedding-cake-scam.html

http://forums.worldpastryforum.com/profiles/blogs/cake-scam

http://www.atg.wa.gov/BlogPost.aspx?id=25528

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-700311-.html&sid=940853f172f631c7e4abf07c60622bd0