Western Union Offers 2 New Reloadable Prepaid Visa Cards

The Western Union Company, a company in the money transfer segment of global payments, said it now offers two new fee-friendly reloadable Visa prepaid cards.

The Western Union MoneyWise and Gold Card Visa prepaid cards, the company noted, provide consumers with the convenience of a prepaid card without many of the fees - such as monthly maintenance, purchase transaction and customer service fees.

The Western Union MoneyWise and Gold Card Visa prepaid cards incorporate all the benefits of a reloadable Visa prepaid card and offer consumers increased convenience and ease of use, including adding money in four ways:

- Reload money in-person at any of the over 46,000 participating Western Union Agent locations in the U.S.

- Online using a bank account

- Using Direct Deposit through an employer; and

- The ability to load a Western Union Money Transfer transaction directly onto the cards.

The company said that consumers can sign-up for the fee-friendly Western Union MoneyWise and Gold Card Visa prepaid cards by simply visiting WesternUnion.com. Both cards are also being merchandized through various channels, that include direct mail and over the phone.

"When you take into account activation, maintenance and transaction fees - among other costly additions - the typical reloadable prepaid card user can be charged upwards of $200 in fees over the course of a year," said Tim Sloane, vice president client services and director Prepaid Advisory Service for Mercator Advisory Group. "Western Union's new reloadable prepaid programs finally deliver the value proposition consumers have been long waiting for in this market."

"We've heard from consumers, during these economic times, that they want a financial tool to manage their money without paying excessive fees," said Michael Hafer, vice president, U.S. Product Management, Western Union. "Our new fee-friendly prepaid cards provide consumers with the freedom to spend without building debt while giving them control of their finances."

Western Union recently piloted the MoneyWise Visa prepaid card as part of its Overnight Home Delivery service in Kansas City and St. Louis. The service will be offered soon via westernunion.com and over the phone, the company noted.

The Western Union Company is a company in global payment services.

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