Western Union Signs Three Major New Agents in Europe: Largardère Services, Ortel Finance and PayUp

The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU) today announced the intention to sign long-term agreements with Lagardère Services, Ortel Finance (part of the Ortel group of companies which also comprises Ortel Telecom) and PayUp to provide Western Union global money transfer services in France, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Romania and Poland.

The agreements significantly expand Western Union’s presence in Europe. With over 15,000 retail locations across the continent, these companies bring potentially important retail expansion opportunities to Western Union.

Signing up Lagardère Services, PayUp and Ortel Finance as Agents represents a major milestone in Western Union’s strategy to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the implementation of the EU’s Payment Services Directive ("PSD”). Coming into effect on 1 November 2009, the PSD seeks to increase pan-European competition, innovation and participation in the payments industry by creating a single market for payment services. It also enables retailers and other non-bank organizations to offer a portfolio of worldwide payment services, previously only offered by financial institutions in the EU.

"The strategically important agreements with Lagardère Services, Ortel Finance and PayUp will allow Western Union to take advantage of the excellent growth opportunities presented by EU’s new Payment Services Directive,” said Hikmet Ersek, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, EMEA-APAC at Western Union. "The agreements will enable Western Union to strengthen its brand, expand its distribution network into retail and enhance further the convenience and premium service we offer to our customers.”

Dag Inge Rasmussen, President and COO of Lagardère Services, added: "We are delighted to have formed a partnership with Western Union. Money transfers is a dynamic and growing market, and I believe that Lagardère Services customers will appreciate the convenience, efficiency and superior service that Western Union is renowned for.”

Pascal Stoop, CEO of Ortel Finance, commented: "The partnership between Western Union and Ortel Finance is a valuable match, as both companies are well known and reliable brands with a multicultural client base. Our intention to deliver fair, easy to understand and cheap financial products is fuelled by the co-operation with Western Union. Together with our customer-focused approach and support in many different languages, Ortel Finance will attract and maintain many new customers.”

Luis Janeiro, CEO of Payup, said: "We acknowledge that signing this agreement is another great step for PayUp. Western Union is one of the best known companies worldwide and we appreciate that it recognizes the potential of the PayUp network. We are very proud of this partnership and we believe that Western Union customers will have the convenience of more locations and extended opening hours.”

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global money transfer services. Together with its Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded money transfer services, Western Union provides consumers with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, as well as send payments and purchase money orders. It operates through a combined network of more than 385,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories. Famous for its pioneering telegraph services, the original Western Union dates back to 1851.

For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About Lagardère Services

With a solid presence in 21 countries in Europe, North America, Asia and the Pacific region, Lagardère Services is a company dedicated to entertainment products and convenience services to its customers all over the world. A world leader in press distribution, Lagardere Services also operates the largest international network of media and convenience stores with 3900 stores in over 100 airports, 350 railway stations, 330 commuter stations and 450 malls. Its world-class companies in each segment are solidly supported by such reliable brands as Relay, Virgin, Naville and Inmedio which can be found in transportation hubs and malls throughout the world.

In 2008, the group, with 11,000 employees in 21 countries, achieved a € 4,6 billion turnover (managed sales).

About Ortel Finance

Ortel Finance is part of Ortel group of companies which also comprises Ortel Telecom. Since 2008, Ortel Finance delivers fair, easy to understand and cheap financial products to multicultural communities, expats and foreigners who temporarily live in the Netherlands. In a short time Ortel Finance became one of the largest providers of money transfer services and insurance in the Netherlands. Ortel Finance also expanded its services to Germany and will start in France on short term.

The strategy of Ortel Finance is to focus on the customer and not the technology and the complexity of financial products. By combining intensive contact with their clients and market research, Ortel Finance knows which products, services and solutions are appropriate for their customers. The company is sponsor of many multicultural events.

Ortel Finance, Ortel Telecom and Ortel Mobile are separated companies, each with its own management team. The latter (Ortel Mobile) has been acquired partially in 2008 by the Dutch listed company KPN.

More information about the Ortel group member companies can be found at: www.ortel.nl

About PayUp

PayUp is a multinational brand of convenient electronic services offering cost-effective mobile top-up, convenient bill payments service for national and regional bill-issuing companies (such as utilities, telecoms and other major service companies), as well as offering a safe, convenient, easy to use service to the consumers. PayUp is offering a ‘One Stop Shop’ transaction service, therefore more free time to enjoy life!

PayUp is present in Central and Eastern Europe.

For more info go to www.payup.net

WU-G