In today’s technological world, it’s wise to use caution online and protect your personal information. You may have heard those unsettling news reports about our data being used without our knowledge and smart devices, like Alexa, spying on our conversations.

We know sending and receiving money online can feel a bit ethereal, especially if it’s your first time doing it. Handing someone physical cash is more familiar and tangible. Not to worry— Ria Money Transfer protects your personal information every step of the way: from creating an account and sending your first transfer, to when your recipient receives the money.

Here, we’ll cover why online money remittances are the best (and safest) way to send money online, and why Ria Money Transfer is the place to do it. Let’s get started.

Online Money Remittances

What are remittances? The classic definition of remittance is ‘a sum of money sent as payment or gift,’ though it is more commonly known as the sum of money that foreign workers or expats send back to their home countries. Remittances comprise an industry worth $600 billion worldwide and that’s growing steadily.

Remittances fuel the national economies of many developing nations, and remittance services create employment avenues for thousands and have a deep impact on the quality of lives of millions across the planet. This remarkable growth in the magnitude of worldwide remittances is largely due to the use of digital methods for sending money across borders, otherwise known as online remittances.

Nowadays the use of checks and other conventional means for sending remittances is nearly extinct. Electronic transfers through banks, and increasingly through a large number of small and specialized International Money Transfer (IMT) service providers, are prime examples of fast and convenient online remittances today. Some IMT services have become so efficient that they can transfer remittances almost instantly.

Why are online remittances safe?

Apart from being an easy way to send money online, remittances are one of the safest, most transparent and secure modes of sending money from the perspective of both sender and recipient. The transaction can easily be tracked at every stage. In the rare case of a failure the amount is automatically refunded. Small IMT service providers eliminate most middlemen, which ensures that there are fewer points of possible failure.

The primary security issue with some forms of remittances is their potential to be used to sponsor illegal activities such as trafficking and terrorism. This is not a concern when remittances are sent through formal channels which governments can track. The potential for problems arises when remittances are sent through informal means such as friends, family, and other non-banking channels that handle physical cash. Similar issues also exist with cryptocurrencies. However, financial institutions are working to resolve these problems and offer even safer products to the public.

The cost of online remittances

Online remittances are among the most cost-effective international money transfers. The average cost of sending money internationally through remittances was nearly seven percent in 2017. Although this statistic is less than the previous decade, it remains a concern for the people who use remittances the most – residents of mid and low income countries. A 7% transaction cost remains an issue for someone who wants to send money to India, Nepal, The Philippines or another developing nation.

There are ongoing efforts by governments to reduce the costs associated with remittances because they have taken note of the fact that they have a significant impact on national economies, and that the high cost of remittances remains a limitation.

Many financial institutions (such as Ria Money Transfer) and governments recognize that simplifying the use of digital currencies and mobile banking can make remittances cheaper, while also making them more accessible and safer to a wider range of people living in remote areas. With the issue being systematically addressed on an international stage, online remittances are sure to become much more cost effective, which will allow them to expand at higher rates of growth.

Why your money and information are safe with Ria Money Transfer

1) This business isn’t new to us.  

You probably wouldn’t hesitate to hand money to friends or family because they are people you trust. When considering the best way to send money online, it’s important you choose a money transfer service that is well-established and trustworthy.  Ria Money Transfer, a subsidiary of Euronet Worldwide Inc., is one of the largest money transfer services in the world. We’ve been helping people get their money where it needs to be for the last 30 years; and, we’ve securely sent over one billion money transfers worldwide.   

2) Your personal information is protected so it can safely get from point A to point B.  

We continually invest in our compliance program, focusing on integrating state of the art monitoring and technology to stay ahead of the curve. Our world class experts work tirelessly to safeguard your money and personal information. All the information you share with us (i.e. your home address, credit card, phone number, etc.) is completely encoded so it can’t be intercepted by anyone that’s not authorized. 

3) We verify you are who you say you are.  

When it comes to figuring out how to safely send money online, one can never be too careful, right? Ria Money Transfer has security measures in place to make sure that only you are accessing your account. We use monitoring and scoring to make sure that your information is not used without your permission.

4) We make sure only your recipient can pick up the money.  

We don’t just let anyone walk up and claim to be your recipient. The person you chose to receive the money must prove they are the intended recipient by showing their I.D. card and the unique PIN that you’ll share with them after the money transfer.  

5) The countries we operate in know us, and we know them.  

Each country has their own regulatory agency that monitors money movement and fights fraud. We’re registered with all regulatory agencies in the countries that we operate in and value our strong relationships with local law enforcement. 

6) We don’t sell your information to lists, or anyone.  

Your trust is important to us. We will never sell or give your information to lists or telemarketing agencies.  

7) You can file a dispute if needed. 

In the unfortunate circumstance that you notice any fraudulent activity on your account, you can easily file a dispute from our website. You will be reimbursed for any unauthorized activity on your accounts.  

Learn more about what security measures we have in place, and find out why this topic is so important to us.

Ready to send money to those you love? Download our app for iOS or Android today and get started.