Is Western Union Speedpay treated as a cash advance?

[Anonymous]

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.  I didn't feel like it really fit in the other topic areas.  Anyway, my utility (PSE&G) allows me to pay by credit card but it uses Western Union Speedpay in order to do so.  Is this treated as a cash advance?  Obviously there is a fee.  I'm only doing this to help towards my sign up bonus on my Arrival+ and having it treated as a cash advance obviously would make it pointless.  Any help is appreciated.

[baller4life]

YES!! I learned that the hard way. Diners charged me a cash advance fee.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.  I didn't feel like it really fit in the other topic areas.  Anyway, my utility (PSE&G) allows me to pay by credit card but it uses Western Union Speedpay in order to do so.  Is this treated as a cash advance?  Obviously there is a fee.  I'm only doing this to help towards my sign up bonus on my Arrival+ and having it treated as a cash advance obviously would make it pointless.  Any help is appreciated.

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I'm fairly sure that most cc companies consider it as a cash advance.  Maybe someone with actual experience will come along.

[JSS3]

Yes, it is.

[pizza1]

mmmmmm, I do the same thing with my Util, and i didn't think anything about it!! They charge me an extra $3.00, on top of my payment. Im trying to think which card I used....hang on let me go dbl check and confirm if I was charge a cash advance fee or not from the CCC...BRB...

[Anonymous]

Yes it is... I also learn the hard way..

[pizza1]

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@pizza1 wrote:
mmmmmm, I do the same thing with my Util, and i didn't think anything about it!! They charge me an extra $3.00, on top of my payment. Im trying to think which card I used....hang on let me go dbl check and confirm if I was charge a cash advance fee or not from the CCC...BRB...

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ok im back...

I used my Sallie Mae CC, and there were no add'l fees on Barclays end. Just the $3.00 fee that the util company charged me to use the WU service, and they added  that to my payment amount.

[JLK93]

I paid my Southwest Gas bill through Western Union Speedpay to meet the minimum spend on my Citi AAdvantage card. It coded as a purchase.

The category was UTILITIES-ELECTRIC,GAS,SANITARY,WATER.

I have paid the same bill with AMEX cards in the past, for the same reason, and it always coded as a purchase. It listed on the statement as:

SWGASPAYMENT/SPEEDPA877-860-6020 NV

Category: Other - Utilities

[JSS3]

Maybe others, like myself, get charged because we send money in someone's name and not a utility company. I know I incur like 3 different fees for sending money through WU.