Western Union money transfer

[Che1990]

Yeah I figured best to have the WU account in the name of non-Arg resident family member. ‘Cos if you are ever asked to justify the income, the comprobantes are in someone else’s name. This way it looks like “ayuda familiar”.

Versus the account being in your name and you sending to yourself, the paper trail then leads to overseas income.

I don’t know, I’m no expert at this kinda thing!

 

[steveinbsas]

The big thing is you are not supposed to send money to yourself, so have the account in a family members name if you can.

If this "big thing" exists, I have yet to see it.

If anyone can find where this prohibition is stated, please share it in this thread.

I made a WU transfer today a few minutes after noon and I carefully read the terms and the conditions that were in the transfer page.

There was nothing I could see that indicated that I could not send money to myself ....as I have been doing for the past three years without a problem.

In January I made two transefers of $399.00 USD each.

Today's transfer was also $399USD and I plan to send the same amount near the end of the month...and then repeat the two $399 USD transfers per month for the rest of the year.

As of today, today a $399 transfer equals just under $146K pesos, so I am sending myself less than $300K ARS per month.

The funds I sen today were in my Santander Rio account by 6 pm.

I am not sure if Santander Rio even sees who sends the name of the person who sends the funds,

My bank statements only show that the deposits were sent by Western Union.

PS: As I previously posted, when I had to call WU shortly after I opened my account three years ago, I was asked if I was sending money to myself. I confirmed that I was and there was no objection at that time and it has never been an issue.

 

[steveinbsas]

I am not sure if Santander Rio even sees who sends the name of the person who sends the funds,

Should read: I am not sure if Santander Rio even sees the name of the person who sends the funds.

 

[Che1990]

If this "big thing" exists, I have yet to see it.

If anyone can find where this prohibition is stated, please share it in this thread.

I made a WU transfer today a few minutes after noon and I carefully read the terms and the conditions that were in the transfer page.

There was nothing I could see that indicated that I could not send money to myself ....as I have been doing for the past three years without a problem.

In January I made two transefers of $399.00 USD each.

Today's transfer was also $399USD and I plan to send the same amount near the end of the month...and then repeat the two $399 USD transfers per month for the rest of the year.

As of today, today a $399 transfer equals just under $146K pesos, so I am sending myself less than $300K ARS per month.

The funds I sen today were in my Santander Rio account by 6 pm.

I am not sure if Santander Rio even sees who sends the name of the person who sends the funds,

My bank statements only show that the deposits were sent by Western Union.

PS: As I previously posted, when I had to call WU shortly after I opened my account three years ago, I was asked if I was sending money to myself. I confirmed that I was and there was no objection at that time and it has never been an issue.

Again, I'm no expert. But here is what I understand from reading and hearing through different groups etc

The thing about sending to yourself isn't a WU policy, it's Arg law and taxes etc.

WU Argentina Ts&Cs: https://www.westernunion.com/ar/es/terms-conditions.html

"EL CLIENTE DECLARA BAJO JURAMENTO QUE LA REMESA CORRESPONDE A ASISTENCIA FAMILIAR Y QUE EL ENVÍO ENCARGADO CUMPLE CON LAS NORMAS APLICABLES"

All WU transactions are recorded in the Unidad de Información Financiera.

And these articles here which explains bank accounts being monitored by AFIP:

https://www.lanacion.com.ar/economi...-los-bancos-informen-movimientos-nid26012022/
https://www.cronista.com/finanzas-m...-que-me-investiguen-y-no-me-congelenlacuenta/
https://www.iprofesional.com/econom...astos-con-tarjeta-de-debito-en-febrero-desde-

Basically, if you have more than 90,000 pesos go through your account, or transactions for over 30,000 it's automatically reported.

So if you are sending funds to your banks account, it is getting flagged to AFIP.

This could then trigger an investigation, in which you'd have to justify those funds. For WU transfers, I guess you'd have to present the comprobantes. These would then show you sending money to yourself, so this could then lead to them asking you to justify your overseas money.

I've also never had any problem in my 6 years here, but from what I see in the news and hear on other groups, they are getting strict on evasion. I've seen these three things in the past few weeks on diff, expat groups:

1. One expat has local accounts frozen and has to justfy income
2. Another is having random AFIP deductions come out of their bank balance
3. Another has a red warning message in their MercadoPago that they need to upload income statements (screenshot below), or lose access



Again, I'm not an expert. So I don't know for sure. But peicing together the info, I'd say better safe than sorry, and cover your tracks as best you can.

I've decided against using bank accounts here now, as we can use foreing cards for more or less the blue rate. And any WU transactions I will send from account in a family member's name and pick up with foreign passport.

It's f**ked that's for sure.

 

[jantango]

Retired seniors who have an account with Banco Ciudad can relax. We had to prove our social security income from the US with copies of three bank statements. I've used XOOM, Transferwise, and most recently, Western Union to transfer money to myself. It takes longer with WU, but the transfer is done.

I know an Argentinian who lived and worked in California long enough to qualify for social security. She opened an account with MACRO that allows her to receive her monthly social security benefit by direct deposit in dollars. I still have the form to open a MACRO account.

 

[Pat Murphy]

Never had a problem sending money to myself in Argentina or Colombia with WU. Other than one employee not accepting my expired DNI. I can send $1,500 twice a month to myself without issue. Years ago, with Xoom, after a hitting some limit which I can't remember, I had to present three months of bank statements. The WU employee told me in December that I could send $5K per instance if I so desired. Which I don't. As with my apostille situation, the rules are interpreted individually.

 

[joftoronto]

Hello. Does anyone know if the national banking strike, is also closing Western Union outlets today?

 

[lunar]

This way it looks like “ayuda familiar”.

Lunar: Can a single person consider himself a family of one?

ChatGPT: Yes, a single person can consider themselves a family of one. While families are often thought of as a group of people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption and live together, the definition of family can be broader than that. A family can also be defined as a group of people who share a common bond, such as living together, caring for one another, or having a strong emotional connection. Therefore, a single person who lives alone but has a strong sense of personal identity and connection to themselves can consider themselves a family of one.

I think I have a very strong connection to myselves

Versus the account being in your name and you sending to yourself, the paper trail then leads to overseas income.

Not necessarily. You may have earned this money before becoming a resident of Argentina, and now you are transferring it to yourself. So, you are spending your personal savings and this is not an income.

 

[Fiscal]

Best WU in Belgrano R?

 

[Patrick2006]

I arrived BA for 6 months with a permeant residence.
I usually send 250usd-300usd to my Argentina bank account every two weeks.
I don't have any problem with it now. No AFIP deductions.
I am unemployed right now.

I am curious that how can they deduct the tax if I transfer my own saving to here. That is not an income.