Frequently Asked Questions
Western Union SA

You can review the list of countries to which you can send money online from Saudi Arabia. Transfers within Saudi Arabia are not available.

After your profile is verified, you can send up to 10 000.00 SAR per transaction.

Your online receipt will show if your transfer has been approved. When the transfer is complete, you'll get an email with your tracking number (MTCN). If your transfer is on hold you might be contacted for more information. If your transfer is rejected you may call Western Union Customer Care at (920033663) if dialed from local number or (+966920033663) if dialed from international number. You can also send an email to wu.support@ersal.sa.

A transfer can only be cancelled if the money hasn’t been deposited into your receiver’s bank account or collected in the destination country. If you wish to cancel your money transfer, please call our Western Union Customer Care number at (920033663) if dialed from local number or (+966920033663) if dialed from international number. You can also send an email to wu.support@ersal.sa.

A receipt will be sent to your email after the transfer is completed. You can also see the details of all your previous transfers in your profile.

Once you have successfully registered online, you will be asked to visit the nearest Ersal locations and verify your identity in-person.

Please note that if you are an existing Ersal customer, you are not required to verify your identity in person.

The tracking number (MTCN) is a unique code to every transfer. Your receiver will need this 10-digit number when they pick up their money, and it can also be used to track your transfer.

For security reasons, only the designated receiver can pick up a transfer. However, you can ask your sender to contact our Customer Care to cancel that transfer and start a new one. Your sender can then transfer money online directly to a bank account or a mobile wallet, if available.

Please be aware of the risk of fraud and phishing, especially during this time, and take extra caution when sending money:

• Don’t send money for loan or credit card fees, customs, or shipping fees.

• Don’t send money to someone you haven’t met in person.

• Be suspicious of businesses without a verified street address.

• Don’t pay for an item or service with a money transfer to an individual.

• Be suspicious about transferring money for charity and ask a representative for an ID.

• Think twice before sharing your financial information.

Please visit our Fraud awareness page to learn more and check current Coronavirus-related online scams.

We have no reason to believe that banknotes are more likely to spread viruses like Coronavirus than any other surface. The guidance from the World Health Organization remains that basic hygiene is the best possible defense against Coronavirus.

Western Union and the Western Union Foundation launched a $1M USD global appeal and is accepting donations through May 15^th Western Union and the Western Union Foundation will match up to $500,000 USD in donations to go toward supplies, equipment, and frontline medical aid. Donate here.

• Our goal is to keep our digital and retail services operational across the world, while abiding by local regulations and guidelines.

• We are constantly improving our services, such as adding new ways to speed up the ID verification process and offering a home delivery feature in some countries.

• Given the ever-changing situation, we recommend those experiencing local restrictions due to COVID-19 visit westernunion.com or use our mobile app to send transfers for payout directly to a bank account or a digital wallet. This service is currently available in more than 100 countries.

You can download Western Union® mobile app from the App Store for iOS devices and Google Play for Android devices.

Download the app

Customers that have been already verified can use their existing log in details to send money with the Western Union ^® mobile app.

New customers can register directly on the app in just a few minutes. You will need to verify your profile by presenting one of the following types of IDs at an Ersal location:

• National Identification Card (for Saudis)
• Resident ID (for other nationalities)

Please note that if you are an existing Ersal customer, you are not required to verify your identity in person.

Learn more about sending money online.

Simply use your existing online log in. New customers can register directly on the app or register for free online on wu.com.

¹ Western Union also makes money from currency exchange. When choosing a money transmitter, carefully compare both transfer fees and exchange rates. Fees and foreign exchange rates may vary by brand, channel, and location based on a number of factors. Fees and rates subject to change without notice.

Get the free app now

A bank code is a series of numbers used to identify banks around the world. They can have between 3 and 23 digits depending on the bank and the country.

A bank code could be called:

• BSB
• SWIFT Code
• BIC (Bank Identification Code)
• CHIPS (Clearing House Inter-Bank Payment System) – US and Canada only
• NCC (National Clearing Code)
• BSC (Bank Sort Code)
• IFSC (Indian Financial System Code)

For some countries you may need an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) in addition to the bank code.

Ask your receiver for the bank code and IBAN (if applicable). You can refer to our Direct to Bank Account country information tool to see which details are required for each country.

A Bank Identification Code (BIC) is used to identify banks worldwide. BIC is the same as a SWIFT code, and it will be 8 or 11 digits long.

Ask your receiver if BIC is required in their country—you can check our Direct to Bank Account country information tool for more details.

An International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is a code used in some countries to identify a customer’s bank account. The IBAN has a letter to identify the country followed by 2 digits, and then up to 35 characters for the bank account number. Some countries require that payment sent from Australia must include the IBAN.

You can refer to our Direct to Bank Account country information tool to see what details are needed for each country. Ask your receiver for the IBAN if it’s required.

"Direct to Bank Account" money transfers can change from country to country and can take up to five days. For more details, please refer to our Direct to Bank Account country information.

The first step is to locate the nearest agent location (find it in our agent locator online), then you should give your receiver’s details to the agent. Once all the information is entered, you will be asked to give the total amount including the service fees. The transfer will be completed after this and the money available in minutes ¹ to your receiver. Don’t forget to get the tracking number (MTCN) from your receipt and share it only with your receiver, he or she will need it to pick up the cash.

¹ Funds may be delayed or services unavailable based on certain transaction conditions, including amount sent, destination country, currency availability, regulatory and foreign exchange issues, required receiver action(s), identification requirements, Agent location hours, differences in time zones, or selection of delayed options. Additional restrictions may apply. See Send Form for details.

For money pickups at a Western Union agent location, your receiver must present one of the following types of IDs:

• National Identification Card (for Saudis)
• Resident ID (for other nationalities)

Acceptable IDs are subject to the rules and regulations of the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia.

You can check your transfer status online. All you need is your name and the tracking number (MTCN – Tracking number) printed on your receipt. Or you can call our Western Union Customer Care number at (920033663) if dialed from local number or (+966920033663) if dialed from international number. You can also send an email to wu.support@ersal.sa.

You can check your transfer status online. All you need is the sender's name and the tracking number (MTCN – Tracking number) printed on the sender's receipt.

Each Western Union agent location has its own hours of operation. Some have extended hours and some even stay open 24/7.
Find a nearby Western Union agent location.

All fees are paid by the sender. Receiving money is free of charge unless the receiver chooses to get the money in a different currency, directly to a device or a bank account at the moment of pickup.

Your User ID is your email address. If you forgot your password, you can select the “Forgot password” option for a new password to be sent to your email. If your profile is locked, please try to log in again after 30 minutes or contact Western Union’s Customer Care number at (920033663) if dialed from local number or (+966920033663) if dialed from international number. You can also send an email to wu.support@ersal.sa

You can change your password on the Profile Overview page after your log in. Please select "Edit profile" from the right-side menu and change your password. For online registration, you can use only one email address. After you verify your email, it cannot be changed.

Please contact Western Union Customer Care number at (920033663) if dialed from local number or (+966920033663) if dialed from international number. You can also send an email to wu.support@ersal.sa.

You can find your My WU number:

• Printed in the receipt of the transfer you registered to the program with.
• In the last transfer receipt (assuming your profile was looked up).
• By contacting Customer Care, or by logging in to wu.com.

It’s important for you to know your My WU number and keep it handy so that you can leverage the benefits of the program.

You should double check the data that you are using to log in (i.e. Last name + My WU number, or Last name + Email) and make sure they match the latest information that you have provided to Western Union. If you cannot validate or are unsure of the information provided to Western Union, you can call the support line to retrieve or update the relevant data points, including your My WU number, email address and phone number. Using My WU number or email address (together with your last name) is the most reliable way to check your balance and/or redeem rewards.

Western Union has tried to merge matching or duplicate profiles and reconcile point balances, contacts, etc. This is a very complicated task and, in some cases, some profiles were kept separately. For a smooth experience, members are invited to merge their duplicate accounts (by calling the support line at 800-844-4067 (STC) or 800-8500-338 (Mobily/Zain) and update their main profile, for the balance and reward redemption features to work as expected.

In this case you are using a non-unique lookup criteria such as phone number (together with your last name) and chances are that you have unintentionally:

• Registered more than once with the same phone.
• Provided a wrong and/or dummy phone number.
• Provided a phone number that was somebody else’s.

Best way to address these challenges is by contacting customer service to make sure your profile is reflecting the most current information, including last name, email address and mobile phone number. Using My WU number or email address (together with your last name) is the most reliable way to check your balance and/or redeem rewards.

In some countries, senders are asked to provide a ‘Test Question’ and its answer when they initiate the transfer. In cases where a ‘Test Question’ was provided by the sender, the receiver may be required to give the answer when picking up the funds. The 'Test Question' feature is designed for emergency situations where the receiver still needs to provide proper identification. It should never be used as additional security or to delay payment. In many places, we'll pay the receiver whenever the receiver shows proper identification, even if he or she does not know the answer to the question. Test question is not available for payout in Saudi Arabia

Contact your government's Office of Consumer Affairs if you are uncertain or suspicious of a telephone, mail or email solicitation. If you feel you have been the victim of fraud, you can contact your local police.

• Always make sure you know who you are sending money to.
• Discontinue a call if a caller coaches you to respond to questions asked by Western Union.
• Security is everyone's responsibility. Stay informed. Keep abreast of new fraud trends.

Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Learn more about fraud protection.