For three past three years I've been using Western Union to send money to my wife in China to support her while she is taking care of her 97 year old father. I send $500 twice a month, simply doing a resend of my previous transaction.
My last successful transaction was on 31 December, 2018. I tried to do my next transfer on 14 January, 2019, and was informed that my account was suspended. The reason they gave me was, "We're sorry to inform you that based on the information you have provided, Western Union must decline to process this transaction. Western Union is subject to a number of economic sanctions and restrictions imposed by the United States and other countries, and it appears based on the information that you have provided that the transaction might violate one or more of these sanctions programs."
I was told that I could appeal this suspension through an email to a specific address, and I have done so, but it's almost impossible to appeal because I have no idea what "economic sanctions and restrictions " I could have possibly violated, since it's the exact same transfer I've been doing to several years.
All I've heard from Western Union is an auto response email to the effect that "we'll get back to you sometime with our decision."
This is more than problematic for me, since the money I'm sending to my wife is her sole means of support, since she's providing 24/7 care for her father, who is paralyzed from two previous strokes.
Anyone have any idea?