Shared bank account

[docetae]

Hello,

I'm looking to create a offshore bank account providing atm cards for both me and my girlfriend in Ukraine. (not a credit card). The idea is to be able to limit transfer fees for the money that I will send to her every month (150$ to cover Internet, english lessons and other fees related to our relation). do you have bank names or other ideas ?

Thanks

[catzenmouse]

docetae,

 Why go "offshore"? Doesn't Royal Bank, Scotia Bank, Central Trust, Bank of Montreal, etc have a debit card that you can use overseas? If you inform the bank that you will be using the card in the FSU country your lady lives in then they will know not to flag the account as questionable.

Ken

[docetae]

I just forget this was possible ... I'm just coming back from Vacation, was In Kiev yesterday , probably jetlag effect ...

[catzenmouse]

Well then, Welcome Home! Hope you had a good trip and if you feel so inclined we'd love to hear about it!

Ken

[Manny]

I use Hansabank in Estonia for these purposes, the internet account also gives you the option of wire transfers internationally including into Russia and in Roubles. Standard account comes with a visa debit card.

http://w.hansa.ee/eng/

A good reason not to bank in the US when dealing with the FSU is that you will end up on one of Uncle Sams suspicious lists, your innocence would not prevent an IRS investigation.

[catzenmouse]

doc is in Canada so he needn't worry about uncle sam. good to know about the estonian bank though.

[Turboguy]

Humm, If I ever need to do that I think I will just use an American bank.  Being on the IRS suspicious list can't be much worse than being on jb and KenC's suspicious list.

Actually a foreign back account will put you on the IRS list.   I don't really think they will take much notice of transactions of a few hundred dollars.

[Michelangelo]

Hi from Kiev. My fiancee has had my Bank of America ATM card for 6 months.  She uses it to get cash--works much better than Western Union or MoneyGram.

I electronically transfer funds over as needed.  She generally spends about $200 per month :-)

[catzenmouse]

Hey Michelangelo,

 How's it going over there? I was wondering where you were hiding...

Ken

[viking]

As an FYI. I understand that you cannot get a credit or debit card in the name of an overseas RW. A person needs to show up at the bank personally to make an application. ( I use B of A) Something to do with the Patriot Act. You can get a card in your name and send it over. Pin sent separately for use in an ATM, but since the name on the card is not hers, it cannot be used for purchase transactions.

Has anyone heard differently?

[Photo Guy]

doc,  with my own bank, Chase, I setup a basic checking account, no maintenance fees. For that account,
I got an ATM card in my name, for her. It is a card that is NOT a debit or credit card. It cannot be used to buy
products in a store, or a new Jaguar, etc.  When I want to send her cash, I send her a text message, telling her
there is  X amount of dollars in her bank now.  I check the balance online.  A transaction only cost
a few dollars.  She found an ATM machine near her.    This works better than Western Union, which
is a total rip-off.  It's more convenient too.  -doug
PS Be sure to inform your bank's security department - tell them the ATM debits from FSU are okay
and authorized by you.

[catzenmouse]

Viking,

 You are correct. They have to have a SSN and ID to open an account in their name. You set it up like Doug mentioned in your name and send them the debit card and inform the bank of the overseas transactions.

Ken

[Wayne]

Moneygram charges about $10 to send up to $500 internationally.  The Western Union fee to send $500 would be about $43.  Wire transfers have a fee of about $50 regardless of the amount, so that might be good if you need to send a large amount.  You can look at the MoneyGram website to see a list of banks in any city where you can send or receive money.  Try Walmart.

[Manny]

As an FYI. I understand that you cannot get a credit or debit card in the name of an overseas RW. A person needs to show up at the bank personally to make an application. ( I use B of A) Something to do with the Patriot Act. You can get a card in your name and send it over. Pin sent separately for use in an ATM, but since the name on the card is not hers, it cannot be used for purchase transactions.

Has anyone heard differently?

From the UK angle that differs. Here you can get a secondary credit card on your account in the name of your RW, you just call them up, give them a name and a DOB and they mail it out to you. No questions asked. (Not with Amex - you have to show a utility bill at your address) My lady has 2 Mastercards she uses for her flights etc also.

Also, in the FSU nobody I have yet seen checks a name or even a signature on any credit card. To test this I have let her pay for stuff while I have been there using my card and a Mickey Mouse signature, nobody looks twice! - More so with chip & pin cards (where you use your PIN instead of signing) - if you know the PIN you use it and nobody even looks at the card as the machine is on your side of the counter.

[beattledog]

this board is full of great information.  it is the best

 beattledog

[PeeWee]

Hi from Kiev. My fiancee has had my Bank of America ATM card for 6 months.  She uses it to get cash--works much better than Western Union or MoneyGram.

I electronically transfer funds over as needed.  She generally spends about $200 per month :-)

Hey, first I noticed. Michaelangelo is alive. You going to be around for a while, Angelo? What is happening over in the Promised Land?

Peewee

[Turboguy]

PeeWee, if nothing was happening we would hear from him all the time so that is a good sign.  Nice to hear from you Michaelangelo,  don't keep us in suspense.  We might confuse you with Maxx and his tale he has been telling us.  Maxx is the next Alfred Hitchcock.

[Christopher]

A good reason not to bank in the US when dealing with the FSU is that you will end up on one of Uncle Sams suspicious lists, your innocence would not prevent an IRS investigation.

Dang thats all I need to be on King George the II's list.  Why did I use my debit card over there?  Maybe thats why they searched my luggage coming back through Amsterdam:)

[Doug S]

Pre-loaded "VisaBuxx" cards designed for rationing out money to children who are away at college are good, and what we have always used to help out Mom & Pop. But I understand it is getting harder and harder to find a bank that issues them. I'll have to check with Olga and see which bank the latest one is from.

Photo-Guy Doug. I've gone back into the threads and followed your travails. I've been pondering it all. And I've seen where you've taken some beatings here on the group. It is not my intention to do that. But I can't help but comment that, after seeing what you have written here, you continue to make all the wrong moves. And to your own detriment. Are you a glutton for punishment, man? I hate to see you digging yourself deeper into the quicksand like this. The object of the game is to find a nice Russian women who loves, respects and trusts you enough to leave her life and baggage behind and start a fresh, healthy new life in the West with you. Not saddle you with her problems. You are not married. She did not think enough of you to pay you that respect. Think about that. It's not your responsibility. I give her credit for being honest about that. If it's your feelings for her that are keeping you in the pit, then try to get up the gumption to exercise some "tough love." Hell, I'd really like to help all of those who are suffering in the world, especially those who have managed to get close to me. But I don't bring home stray dogs, and I don't give money to beggars on the street. For their own good, and mine. You've got a life to live and you need to start thinking about Doug (not me Doug, you Doug). Break free!

(I know that sounded callous, but I mean it with no ill will toward you or her; and with only your best interest in mind.)

[prince_alfie]

Offshore bank accounts are not recommended. They are typically monitored for money laundering. Use domestic banks only.

[Photo Guy]

Doug S wrote:

'Photo-Guy Doug. I've gone back into the threads and followed your travails. I've been pondering it all. And I've seen where you've taken some beatings here on the group. It is not my intention to do that. But I can't help but comment that, after seeing what you have written here, you continue to make all the wrong moves. And to your own detriment. Are you a glutton for punishment, man? I hate to see you digging yourself deeper into the quicksand like this. The object of the game is to find a nice Russian women who loves, respects and trusts you enough to leave her life and baggage behind and start a fresh, healthy new life in the West with you. Not saddle you with her problems. You are not married. She did not think enough of you to pay you that respect. Think about that. It's not your responsibility. I give her credit for being honest about that. If it's your feelings for her that are keeping you in the pit, then try to get up the gumption to exercise some "tough love." Hell, I'd really like to help all of those who are suffering in the world, especially those who have managed to get close to me. But I don't bring home stray dogs, and I don't give money to beggars on the street. For their own good, and mine. You've got a life to live and you need to start thinking about Doug (not me Doug, you Doug). Break free!

(I know that sounded callous, but I mean it with no ill will toward you or her; and with only your best interest in mind.)'

Hello again,
I'm getting ready to go to work, so I took a shower. I thought I'd modify my post before you
saw it, because I overreacted.  Anyway, do not worry. I have no intention of selling the farm or buying
the farm to save Larisa and her family. I have decided to give her friendly moral support and a little
bit of cash when she needs it. She has been respectful and has given me my freedom. Her world
is all about survival right now, not romance. So yes, I have decided not to completely break free, yet.
You are wrong about me sinking into some kind of horrible emotional or financial 'pit'.  I am not a glutton
for punishment, as you say. I love her and care about her. For now, she is my personal charity case.
In my life I have not been very charitable, so now it's time to do that. It's the Christian thing to do. 

Please give me some down time now and stop yelling about 'breaking free', okay?  She is the one who
is exhibited 'tough love' when she told me that she has no time for romance now in these difficult times.
She did that for me.  Now it is all about circumstances rather than about 'good chemistry'.  So, we disagree
about my 'wrong moves'. Charity is a very personal decision and I'm comfortable with my course of action.
No, I can't help everyone who is suffering, but maybe I can help her a little bit.  No, she has not saddled
me with her problems and she is very reluctant to burden me.    -doug,  ...not in a 'pit'.

[Doug S]

Doug,

I'm sorry you took me wrong.

A lot of people I love are in trouble.

Every single one of my Russian relatives has a health problem. Many of those problems are serious.

You are not married to this woman.

Russians take advantage of Americans every day.

You say you need some down-time and I agree. But you are far from getting any if you continue on the path you're on.

I regret the reference to stray dogs and beggars that offended you so. And I apologize. It was not intended to come off that way. What I meant to say was that each time I come across something like those two examples (which is pretty much every day and therefore the first two things that came to mind), it is very hard for me to not try to do someting for them. I have to stop myself. The "pit" I refer to is that once you start trying to help, there is no end to it. I can go on forever. I am a compassionate person. I guess that's hard for you to believe.

I think your emotions are stretched pretty thin these days.

Some of the guys who start out in search of Russian wives actually end up becoming missionary types, working with FSU orphanages, at health clinics, etc. It's not uncommon. You have to sort out exactly what you want to accomplish over there, otherwise its easy to lose focus.

DS


 
 
Doug

[Turboguy]

Personally Doug S, I think PG has learned more here and in the school of hard knocks than most anyone here. He may still be working on getting over her some yet but I highly doubt he will make many of the same mistakes again.  If he wants to help her with her problems since she disrupted her whole life and quit her job to come to him I see that as a good thing on his part.

[catzenmouse]

I've got to agree with you TG. Of all the people I've seen at this over the years Doug is one of the few that I hold a lot of respect for. He did a lot of things that made people here cringe (he made me cringe too!) but he believed in something and he went for it. AND he came back here to talk about it after it ended. That takes some major guts and shows to me that no matter what anyone thinks of him the man has what it takes to make it in this FSUW adventure. I've only spoken with Doug once but I sincerely like him and hope that in the end we are able to read about a happy and successful marriage.

Ken

[Vaughn]

Pre-loaded "VisaBuxx" cards designed for rationing out money to children who are away at college are good, and what we have always used to help out Mom & Pop. But I understand it is getting harder and harder to find a bank that issues them. I'll have to check with Olga and see which bank the latest one is from.

Doug, we've been using Visabuxx issued by USBank of Minnesota
for several years. I recall filling out the online application. Hmmmm,
let's see, the fact that my "teenager" resides overseas and was born
in 1940 didn't faze them - we had the card by mail in a week. Works like
a charm....