Western Union Expands Digital Presence to Latin America & Caribbean with Westernunion.com in Jamaica - GKMS Trinidad

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Western Union Expands Digital Presence to Latin America & Caribbean with Westernunion.com in Jamaica

In line with the company-wide strategy to expand its digital network globally, Western Union, a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement, today announced that it will launch Western Union® digital money transfers in Jamaica.

JAMAICA, MARCH 21, 2018 – In line with the company-wide strategy to expand its digital network globally, Western Union, a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement, today announced that it will launch Western Union® digital money transfers in Jamaica. Westernunion.com/jm is expected to go live end-April, in alliance with GraceKennedy Money Services (GKMS), pioneering 24/7 online money transfer services in the Caribbean.

Jamaica will become the first country in the Latin America and Caribbean region to offer Western Union digital money transfer services, connecting customers to more than 200 countries and territories. The launch is part of the company’s digital expansion plans across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Expanding the company’s digital capabilities in these regions builds on its strong digital presence in North America, Europe, and Oceania.

“I am proud to announce that Jamaica will be the first country to kick off Western Union’s digital rollout across Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Western Union President and CEO, Hikmet Ersek. “It’s already an achievement to allow customers in Jamaica to send money to nearly every country across the world from every parish. Now, they will soon have the convenience of connecting to this same network with a click, anytime, anywhere. This is Western Union – continuously innovating global cross-border money movement and delivering greater value for our customers.”

GKMS has been Western Union’s Agent for almost three decades, and currently offers Western Union Money Transfer services in 12 Caribbean nations: Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas.

“Today’s announcement will bring a new era of financial services to Jamaican customers,” said Don Wehby, Group Chief Executive Officer of GraceKennedy Limited. “We are proud that Jamaica will be joining Western Union’s global digital footprint. Soon, customers will have a new convenient way to send international money transfers right from the comfort of their home, office-or on the go, using a computer, tablet or their mobile phone’s web browser.”

“In 2017, Jamaicans received money from more than 160 countries and territories and sent money to more than 170 countries and territories for education, gifting and small investments for family and loved ones. It is very rewarding to see this cycle of monetary goodwill moving in and out of Jamaica-helping people realize aspirations and promoting economic activity”, Wehby said.

Liberalization of the telecommunications sector has bolstered internet penetration in Jamaica. In 2017, Jamaica had over 2.5 million cell phone users and 1.7 million internet users1, representing more than half of the total population.

Prior to the first use of the Western Union service via westernunion.com/jm, customers are required to complete the registration process online and validate their government issued ID at any of Western Union agent locations in Jamaica. After registration is confirmed, customers will be able to send money with westernunion.com/jm and fund their transactions using a locally issued Visa or Mastercard debit and credit card. To learn more, consumers may call GraceKennedy Money Services’ Customer Service Center at 926-2454. In alliance with GKMS, Western Union has a network of more than 100 Agent locations across Jamaica. Customers can also receive money transfers via their mobile phones with GK MPay, GK’s mobile wallet solution.

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To use the Direct to Bank service you have to be a registered D2B customer – registration is a quick and easy one-time activity that takes place online (for existing GKMS Western Union customers) and in-store for new customers.

There are three (3) Phases in the Direct to Bank (D2B) process:

Phase 1: Customer Registration.

New customers must register in-store at any GKMS Western Union. Existing GKMS Western Union customers can register online: Access the GraceKennedy Money Services website using your computer or mobile phone and fill out the required registration details. The online registration website is https://registration.gkmsonline.net.

GKMS customers will have the opportunity to enter demographic and banking information supported by pictorial proof that the information presented for verification is valid and current.

After confirming the validity of their email, customers will be able to access the online portal and navigate through the screens entering the relevant information to process their registration.

Customers are required to provide the following:

  1. Basic Info – Name, DOB.
  2. Employment Info– Place of employment and employment particulars i.e. occupation.
  3. Contact info – Current mailing address, Telephone, Cell numbers.
  4.  Primary Identification Info– National ID, Driver’s Permit or Passport.
  5.  Secondary identification Info– customer will provide a second ID type of the three options stated above.
  6. Security Info– Customer required to provide secret questions and answers to secure their account and future transactions.
  7. Document Upload– All the relevant documents required to process the application is uploaded into the system. The documents have to be verified in a separate phase of the process before the customer is able to access the service.

Phase 2: Customer Verification Process

The verification process consists of actions by GKMS to validate the authenticity of the  information provided at the Registration Stage (uploaded documents+ banking information + Demographic information). This involves matching uploaded details against information available in our internal databases as well as external National ID Verification Systems. You will be contacted by one of our team members when this step is completed.

Phase 3: Start using Direct to Bank!

Once you have been successfully registered you can start receiving Western Union money transfers in your bank account. Follow these quick steps:

  1.  Call our Contact Centre at 623-6000 the next time you are expecting a money transfer to initiate the bank transfer. Calls should be placed as soon as funds are available for collection.
  2. Tell the CSR you are registered for Direct to Bank transfers.
  3. Provide the related Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN).
  4. Enjoy the safety & convenience of having funds transferred directly into your bank account.

GKMS Digital Services

Find out more details about our Digital Registration. How to register, FAQs and more.

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