Moneygram

[Rich One]

I've used my debit card from my US bank to pay MG to make a transfer to someone in Peru who received US dollars - so it can be done. But obviously Peru (or anywhere else) isn't ARG.

I've never attempted to do the same in ARG because at the time I asked about doing so I was told it couldn't be done - recipient would need to receive pesos. Considering how rapidly and often things have been changing here lately I couldn't say if that's still the case or not.

I finally contacted MG and was informed that up to now beneficiaries in Argentina can only receive ARG pesos.

 

[Phatbuddha]

buy a dedicated proxy.. costs $30 per year and you are done.

The big difference is.. a VPN might get blocked, because you share an IP. a dedicated proxy is far less likely to get blocked.

How, Where ? any recommendations

 

[lunar]

How, Where ? any recommendations

Just by checking an IP address against a database, websites can usually tell if a request is coming from a VPN, a datacenter, or a residential connection. If it's not coming from a typical residential provider like Comcast or T-Mobile, but instead from something like an Amazon datacenter, it already looks suspicious - whether you're using a proxy or a VPN, and whether it's a dedicated IP or not.

On top of that, sites can also use techniques like browser fingerprinting and behavior analysis to catch people trying to spoof their identity.

In the case of MoneyGram, I think using a VPN or proxy might actually make things worse. It’s probably better to look like an American tourist visiting Argentina and needing to access their money, rather than someone in Argentina trying to impersonate an American.

 

[billyarboles]

Just by checking an IP address against a database, websites can usually tell if a request is coming from a VPN, a datacenter, or a residential connection. If it's not coming from a typical residential provider like Comcast or T-Mobile, but instead from something like an Amazon datacenter, it already looks suspicious - whether you're using a proxy or a VPN, and whether it's a dedicated IP or not.

On top of that, sites can also use techniques like browser fingerprinting and behavior analysis to catch people trying to spoof their identity.

In the case of MoneyGram, I think using a VPN or proxy might actually make things worse. It’s probably better to look like an American tourist visiting Argentina and needing to access their money, rather than someone in Argentina trying to impersonate an American.

It's probably a case of me not fully understanding your point, but to MoneyGrams updated system that won't allow anyone physically in Argentina to make a transfer what's the difference between a tourist visiting Argentina and someone in Argentina trying to impersonate an American? How would one make themselves look (to a computerized system) like an American tourist visiting Argentina?

From what MG told me, the system no longer allows people to initiate transfers from Argentina - tourist or not. They told me I can make transfers to Argentina when I'm back in the US.

 

[IamWaldo]

It's probably a case of me not fully understanding your point, but to MoneyGrams updated system that won't allow anyone physically in Argentina to make a transfer what's the difference between a tourist visiting Argentina and someone in Argentina trying to impersonate an American? How would one make themselves look (to a computerized system) like an American tourist visiting Argentina?

From what MG told me, the system no longer allows people to initiate transfers from Argentina - tourist or not. They told me I can make transfers to Argentina when I'm back in the US.

so if you connect to a proxy or a vpn.. it will make it look like you are from the US while you are not..


See it like this

You ---> MG

with a VPN/Proxy it's

You --> Proxy(US) -- > MG

 

[lunar]

so if you connect to a proxy or a vpn.. it will make it look like you are from the US while you are not..

It makes it look like you're pretending to be in the US by using a VPN service. Here's an example from free Windscribe VPN IP:

https://api.ipapi.is/?ip=86.106.87.105

 

[billyarboles]

so if you connect to a proxy or a vpn.. it will make it look like you are from the US while you are not..


See it like this

You ---> MG

with a VPN/Proxy it's

You --> Proxy(US) -- > MG

I understand the basics of how a VPN work, I was just confused by the statement that using a VPN/Proxy could make things worse and that it was better to be an American tourist visiting Argentina instead of pretending to be an American (which I took to mean pretending through the use of a VPN). What I'm not understanding is, how does one convince a computer that you're an American tourist visiting Argentina, and what's point if MG is telling customers that it is no longer possible to initiate transfers from Argentina (without differentiating between tourists/non-tourists)? In order to now use MG from Argentina you have to convince MG's system that you're in the US. I thought that's what a VPN did, but it sounds like a VPN won't fool them anymore. But maybe a proxy would?

 

[billyarboles]

It makes it look like you're pretending to be in the US by using a VPN service. Here's an example from free Windscribe VPN IP:

https://api.ipapi.is/?ip=86.106.87.105

View attachment 10357

Does your response apply only to VPNs, or to Proxies as well?

 

[IamWaldo]

I understand the basics of how a VPN work, I was just confused by the statement that using a VPN/Proxy could make things worse and that it was better to be an American tourist visiting Argentina instead of pretending to be an American (which I took to mean pretending through the use of a VPN). What I'm not understanding is, how does one convince a computer that you're an American tourist visiting Argentina, and what's point if MG is telling customers that it is no longer possible to initiate transfers from Argentina (without differentiating between tourists/non-tourists)? In order to now use MG from Argentina you have to convince MG's system that you're in the US. I thought that's what a VPN did, but it sounds like a VPN won't fool them anymore. But maybe a proxy would?

dedicates yes, shared no.

 

[ArgentinaVet]

All day yesterday and most of today I also got an error message when trying to send a MoneyGram transfer from USA debit card to Argentine MercadoPago account. I am physically located in the USA at the moment. Fortunately I tried again at 16:15 EST and the transaction went through as normal, so it appears to have been a temporary non location specific technical glitch.