Hi

I suppose you are right and it looks like I will accept it then. How Western Union transactions are classed is still something of a grey area though. Some cards seem to charge it at the purchase rate and some at the cash advance rate.

Yes I am sure they would be willing to charge me a fee too if I asked!! - However they have recently raised my cash advance rate to something ludicrous like 39.9% so I think that will keep the RBS wolves happy for a while!

So know I get to pay for their mistakes through my tax and suck up their outrageuous APR increase's - Isn't life great :(

It wasn't a "cash advance" though, as you did not get any cash advanced. The distinction difference would be if you went to a ATM and physically withdrew cash from the machine, in this case a cash advance has taken place and cash has been handled.

However it was a "cash transaction" as you did not purchase goods, therefore they will be allowed to charge it at the same rate as a cash advance, but with no advance fee because cash wasn't actually advanced......it was transacted.?

Probably the reason why they have not charged you a "cash advance" fee.........If you ask them nicely though, I am sure that they would be willing to also charge you for this as well... : -- (

Thanks for your reply.

My friend was correct though. He has used HSBC and MBNA cards in the past to use this service and all charged it at the Purchase rate as I have seen his statements.

Also if this was a "cash advance" why was I not charged a cash advance fee?

thomas787:

Sorry Thomas, but I agree with Mint on this one.

You were not buying any goods or a service. You were transferring cash via Western Union. This may show up as a purchase, as this is probably always shown unless a bank service till is used, but you surely realised that there was only cash involved. The same would apply if you went into the foreign exchange counter at your local post office/bank. If you used your credit card, they would warn you that the transaction would be treated as a cash advance and incur fees.

So if you want to blame somebody, I think you should look at Western Union, your friend and yourself.

Huckster

Dear all

I was hoping the experts on this board could give me some advice.

About 4 months ago whilst on holiday my brother got into a spot of trouble abroad and needed cash quickly,hence unfortunatley he called me! Anyway long story short I ended up having to send him about £900 over 2 weeks through the money transfer company "western union" and I used my Mint credit card to do it.

My friend who had used the service before assured me that the transactions are charged as purchase transactions. Anyway after making the first transaction of roughly £300 I checked my mint online account and it stated the transaction as a purchase type transaction so I assumed I would be charged at the purchase rate and continued to make 2 further payments.

However to my surprise I have recently discovered that Mint are charging me these transactions at the "cash advance" rate and I have complained about this to them. My complaint is that why on their statements do they not clearly state that you will be charged at the cash advance rate?

Here is an example of my statement:

Transaction details

Transaction date: 12 Apr 2009
Transaction description: Western Union online
Transaction type: Purchase
Country code:
Transaction amount: £280.00
Currency: United Kingdom, Pounds (GBP)

I accept that I was perhaps naive to assume that a purchase type transaction would be charged at the purchase rate but I feel mint could have done more to make it clearer. Ok I accept that at the bottom of the monthly statement they do tell you the rates you are currently paying on your balance,for example

Purchase rate: £500

Cash advance rate: £900

but why not AT THE TIME of purchase and ON MY TRANSACTION REVIEW did Mint not make this clearer? Obviously by the time my official statement came out it was too late and I had already charged these transactions to my Mint card.

I have complained to them twice about this but they frankly, do not want to know.

So I came here looking for advice. Is it me who is in the wrong or are Mint not doing enough to make their customers aware of the rate they will pay for using "westernUnion" and should I take this case further?

Any advice would be mich appreciated.

Thanks for reading.