For those of you getting Western Union withdrawals... be aware that Western Union rules for any $3000+ transfer require additional identification and hassle.
$3000 is also apparently the maximum amount an individual is allowed to send from the Phillipines (the location of the money-mules used by the casino in question).
I requested a larger withdrawal and it was broken into $3000 chunks and sent to me from multiple money-mules as person-to-person transactions.
The first place I tried wouldn't even do it without a second form of picture ID such as a passport (I think this is not WU policy, but ignorance on the clerk's part).
The second place I tried did it only after calling it in, and required my social security number and occupation. I reluctantly gave the SSN and fibbed about my occupation (which would raised even more eyebrows).
Third place did it without calling in, but again required SSN and (fake) occupation, and a lot of keyboard tapping.
Ditto at a fourth place.
At the fifth place I had an amount under $3000 and the contrast was extreme... just needed my driver's license and I was out in a few minutes with no prying questions.
Note: Following the casino's advice, you don't do all the transfers at one location in the same day to help avoid raising eyebrows.
I really hate giving out my SSN due to the possibility of it being stolen/misused. I'd hate giving it out even more if I wasn't paying my taxes like a good citizen on the same activity the government says is bad for me (hypocrisy should be the 8th deadly sin).
The moral of the story being... request amounts less than $3000, and for larger amounts ask the site to break them into $2900 chunks for you, or request smaller chunks yourself over a longer time period.
Another note... Western Union checks are for a maximum of $1000 so they have to issue you multiple checks as well.
All in all, a major pain compared to the old days. I resent having to hit up multiple WU's like a criminal and going to the bank with a wad of checks from different locations. If I don't get reported to Homeland Security for suspicious behavior I'd be surprised.
But... I did get the money and it was far faster than waiting for a mailed check.
$3000 is also apparently the maximum amount an individual is allowed to send from the Phillipines (the location of the money-mules used by the casino in question).
I requested a larger withdrawal and it was broken into $3000 chunks and sent to me from multiple money-mules as person-to-person transactions.
The first place I tried wouldn't even do it without a second form of picture ID such as a passport (I think this is not WU policy, but ignorance on the clerk's part).
The second place I tried did it only after calling it in, and required my social security number and occupation. I reluctantly gave the SSN and fibbed about my occupation (which would raised even more eyebrows).
Third place did it without calling in, but again required SSN and (fake) occupation, and a lot of keyboard tapping.
Ditto at a fourth place.
At the fifth place I had an amount under $3000 and the contrast was extreme... just needed my driver's license and I was out in a few minutes with no prying questions.
Note: Following the casino's advice, you don't do all the transfers at one location in the same day to help avoid raising eyebrows.
I really hate giving out my SSN due to the possibility of it being stolen/misused. I'd hate giving it out even more if I wasn't paying my taxes like a good citizen on the same activity the government says is bad for me (hypocrisy should be the 8th deadly sin).
The moral of the story being... request amounts less than $3000, and for larger amounts ask the site to break them into $2900 chunks for you, or request smaller chunks yourself over a longer time period.
Another note... Western Union checks are for a maximum of $1000 so they have to issue you multiple checks as well.
All in all, a major pain compared to the old days. I resent having to hit up multiple WU's like a criminal and going to the bank with a wad of checks from different locations. If I don't get reported to Homeland Security for suspicious behavior I'd be surprised.
But... I did get the money and it was far faster than waiting for a mailed check.
