Google AdSense Payment via Western Union Is Now Available to All Malaysian Publishers

About a year ago I wrote about Google running a pilot involving some Malaysian AdSense publishers getting their AdSense payments via Western Union Quick Cash.

I was one of lucky Malaysian publishers to be selected for the pilot and I’ve been getting my AdSense payments via Western Union Quick Cash ever since.

Western Union Quick Cash is a payment option that lets you receive your AdSense payments in cash via the worldwide Western Union money transfer service.

The best thing about it is that – no more long clearing time, which is often over a month associated with checks deposit to cash out your AdSense payments. It’s also cheap – well it’s free for the pilot participants anyway. I am not sure whether a fee will be introduced when this payment method is out of pilot.

Payments will be available for pick up at your local Western Union Agent the day after they are sent according to the normal payment schedule. That’s right, just one day waiting time!

However, since the option to opt for Western Union Quick Cash has always been available in my account since the pilot, I’m uncertain whether this option is now finally opened for everyone after the following entry was added into their Help Center recently

Currently there’s no entry regarding this update in AdSense blog. Perhaps people are getting notified via email?

Is Western Union available in my country?

Payment by Western Union Quick Cash is currently available in the following countries and areas:

• China (Mainland)
• Malaysia
• Pakistan
• Romania
• Philippines
• Argentina
• Chile
• Peru
• Colombia

Though we may offer Western Union to a wider set of publishers in the future, we do not have a date for when this may become available. We appreciate your patience as we expand this payment option.

To find out whether this option is available in your account, login to your AdSense account, go to Account Settings under the My Account tab, then click the [edit] link next to the Payment Details. If you see the following, then you can now use Western Union Quick Cash.

From their Help Center

How do I pick up my Western Union Quick Cash payment?

In order to pick up your payment by Western Union Quick Cash, please complete the following steps:

1. Visit http://www.payment-solutions.com/agent.asp to locate a Western Union Agent.
2. Call the Western Union Agent to confirm that they offer the Quick Cash service.
3. Bring the following information with you:

- a valid government-issued photo ID (Passport, Driver’s license, National ID etc)
- sender’s information: Google Inc. 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View , California 94043 , USA . Phone Number: 650-253-4000
- amount of your payment, which you can find on your Payment History page
- your unique MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number) which you can find by clicking on the ‘details’ link next to the Payment Issued line on your Payment History page

When you go to the Western Union agent, please let them know that you would like to pick up a Quick Cash payment. Additionally, please remember to pick up your Western Union payment within 35 days of the payment date, or the amount will be credited back to your AdSense account.

I personally use CIMB Bank to pick up my payment. All I need to do is complete the receive payment form and produce a photocopy of my IC. With the MTCN supplied, I don’t even have to put in Google’s full address/phone/amount - I guess the teller is familiar with the routine already.

While the payment is in US dollars, I could have it converted into Malaysian Ringgit and pick up as cash or have it deposited into my bank account. Quick and easy.

Update: I’ve received the following email from Google this morning. So I can confirm that this payment option is now available to all Malaysian AdSense publishers

Thank you for your support and and participation in the Western Union Quick Cash beta launch. We truly appreciate your helping us test out this feature. Based on your feedback, we’re happy to let you know that this new form of payment will now be available to all publishers with individual accounts in Malaysia.

Your account will continue to be set to receive your payments by Western Union Quick Cash so there is no action necessary on your part. Please feel free to provide any additional feedback on your experience with this payment method at any time.

Update 2: To help people opt for this payment method, the following is an instruction from AdSense Help Center

How do I sign up to receive my AdSense payments by Western Union?

If you would like to receive your earnings by Western Union Quick Cash, please complete the following steps:

1. Sign in to your account at www.google.com/adsense .
2. Visit the My Account tab.
3. Click the ‘edit’ link adjacent to the ‘Payment Details’ header.
4. Select the Western Union Quick Cash radio button.
5. Click ‘Continue’.
6. Click ‘Save Changes’ to save your payment type.

Please make sure that the name on your account exactly matches that on the government issued ID card that you will bring to pick up your Western Union Quick Cash payments. If you need to update your payee name in your account, please let us know and we will be happy to help you to do so.

Also, please note that we are unable to guarantee payment for the next payment cycle in this form if your selection was made after the 15th of the month. For example, to ensure payment by Western Union Quick Cash for your March earnings, please complete the steps above before April 15th.