KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Money-transfer agent Western Union is testing a new service that allows customers to send money overnight without requiring the recipient to go to a Western Union agent.
The service, which began last week in St. Louis and Kansas City, lets customers send a Visa prepaid debit card anywhere in the U.S. through FedEx to the recipient’s home or office.
To access the money, the recipient must use a card-activation code provided by the sender. The card then can be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including at ATMs.
“We’re providing a new level of convenience for our consumers,” said Jorge Consuegra, senior vice president of U.S. product management for the Douglas County-based company.
Money-transfer fees for the overnight service start at $9.99 to send up to $200, the same amount for wiring money overnight to another Western Union office. The sender also must pay a $9.95 fee for the FedEx cost.
Customers can continue to add value to the card without paying additional delivery fees.
