How to Use a Credit Card to Wire Money
When you need to wire money quickly, it is often most convenient to use your credit card. You will eliminate a trip to the bank or an ATM to get the cash and the trip to the money transfer service, as several wire transfer services offer secure online and telephone transactions. Follow these steps and the money you need to send will be on the way in a snap.
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Instructions
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Determine Service Needed
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Decide how the recipient will access the funds that you are sending. Options include cash at specified locations, mobile phone, bank accounts and debit cards.
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Find out how quickly the funds should be available. Most transfer services now offer same-day service for an additional fee or two or three-day service for less.
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Get all the recipient’s contact information, along with bank routing and account numbers if funds will be sent to a bank.
Review and Choose Wire Options
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Call the money transfer service or visit the website to find out fees and service options that are available at the recipient’s destination. Even the largest wire services have coverage gaps outside the United States, but almost all have convenient locations throughout North America.
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Choose the appropriate service for the recipient's needs. You can send domestic and international wire transfers online or in person, using a credit card at Western Union or MoneyGram. At their brick and mortar locations, you will fill out a paper form and choose additional services like recipient messages and test questions. Then you will simply swipe your credit card and enter your pin to make your transfer. (Some locations without electronic processing will require your signature to authorize the credit card transaction). Both Western Union and MoneyGram require a credit card issued in the United States.
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Visit the Western Union website to send money with a credit card. Select your country and state (or province). Then select the recipient’s country and state. Choose regular money transfer or bank deposit.
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Register for an online account. You must provide your name, address, contact phone number, date of birth and email address. Select a password and security question to complete the registration form.
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Enter your cardholder name, card number and expiration date on the next screen. Then enter the recipient’s name, city and state or province along with the amount that you are transferring. Western Union online requests your contact phone number and sending options.
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Choose to enter a Gold Card number, promotion codes and a message for the recipient. Your final choice is to have the recipients notified of the transfer by phone.
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Complete the payment screen online for your transfer by confirming the credit card to use, entering the card’s security code and agreeing to allow Western Union to access your credit records. This screen also shows the money transfer fee that Western Union will charge for your credit card transfer and the total for your transaction.
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Press “Continue” to complete your credit card transfer. You can review your online transaction before finalizing it. Western Union provides an online receipt and confirmation by email.
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Go to the Moneygram website and create an account to send money online with a credit card. In addition to your contact information, Moneygram requires your Social Security number.
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Type a password and answer a security question. Moneygram creates your account only after you confirm your email address by clicking on the link in a confirmation message. At the confirmation screen, Moneygram asks for your username and password.
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Log in and select the type of service you want (same day, express or bill pay), then enter information for the credit card that you will use. You will then be able to complete the recipient’s information and transfer up to $500.00 from your credit card. Review your transaction and get your receipt and reference number.
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Consider online only services like PayPal to transfer money to someone else with a PayPal account. You can use OboPay to send money by credit card or from your bank account to the recipient’s phone. Obopay puts wired funds on a prepaid MasterCard debit card. Use Ikobo for frequent credit card wire transfers to the same person. However, your first transaction will also include fees to cover the costs of shipping a reloadable debit card to the recipient.
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Tips & Warnings
Research your options and register for services online in advance.
Review fees carefully. Some wire services have more fees than their competitors do.
MoneyGram makes payouts only at its physical locations.
Use trusted institutions with adequate geographic coverage to avoid delayed receipt of funds.
Find out what the recipient must do to receive funds before selecting a wire service.
