My Webmoney Review: A Frustrating Experience in 2024

Hello everyone, and welcome to my review. I'm tackling a super relevant topic for many people: the Webmoney wallet.

The thing is, it's one of the oldest payment systems out there, and it's changed its rules more times than I can count.

This makes it super tricky to register, as you might end up with outdated info and create a bad impression.

So, I want to make it clear that this review is for Russians and anyone setting up a Webmoney wallet in 2024. Things might be different in other countries.

This review is based on my personal experience, and all screenshots are from my phone.

I've actually used Webmoney before - it was years ago, and I had a smooth experience. I registered quickly, got verified easily, and received confirmation within three days without any issues.

But things have changed since then. Other wallets have popped up with lower fees and better features, so I ditched Webmoney. Recently, I stumbled upon a website that only accepts Webmoney, so I decided to give it another shot.

As it turned out, trying to reactivate my old Webmoney wallet was a total nightmare. I'd sent them all my info, including a scan of my passport, but it was like they'd lost it.

That's not fair, but what can you do? I decided to start fresh, especially since my previous experience had been so positive.

So, this review is for anyone who's trying to set up a Webmoney wallet from scratch, get verified, and use it. What surprises does it have in store for you?

I've come to realize that, as of 2024, to use Webmoney in Russia, you've got to download the app. I used to just stick with the web version, but now it's not even an option.

Same goes for PC - you've got to install the app.

So, first things first, decide whether you're gonna use the wallet on your PC or phone and download the app accordingly.

I opted to download the app on my phone, just for kicks.

It's a breeze - just head over to the Google Play Store, search for 'Webmoney', and download it. The installation process is quick, the app's not too heavy, and my initial impressions were decent.

Plus, the app store page has a video tutorial, which I was really counting on to learn about the current Webmoney rules and, more importantly, how to verify your account.

If you're even remotely familiar with e-wallets, you'll know that verification is the most crucial step. Without it, you're stuck with your money locked in the wallet - unable to withdraw or make payments.

Unfortunately, these services don't exactly shout about the verification process, so it's not uncommon for people to deposit money into an e-wallet only to find out they can't withdraw it due to issues with verification.

This has happened to me with Webmoney, Yandex Money, and Kivi in the past. Now, only Webmoney and Yumi are left, but I know the drill - verification is key, and I'm sure you do too.

The video tutorial was a total letdown. It hyped up Webmoney, telling me how great the app is, but completely failed to provide any actual useful information.

I'm glad I'm prepared with all my documents - passport, Snils, and tax ID - so I can get through the process quickly without any issues, since I've done this before on other services.

Next, I open the app and get started.

The first thing the Webmoney app asks for is my phone number. It's a familiar process - I enter my number, get a call, and confirm it.

Then, I give my consent to create an avatar and process my personal data.

The second step that's required of me was a bit surprising - I got a picture asking me to take a selfie with my phone. Okay, no problem.

I give the app permission to take photos and videos so it can do the selfie thing.

But things took a weird turn in the selfie window.

I needed to take a selfie, but the app was being super finicky and kept giving me error messages.

It even gave me an animated GIF as a clue, telling me to mimic the actions of the person on the screen.

First of all, I couldn't figure out why it was always saying I didn't have enough light, even though I was in a super well-lit room.

Then it started asking me to turn my head to the right, then to the left, close one eye, close both eyes, and even make different letters with my mouth.

I have to admit, I was feeling a bit frustrated - I've been using electronic wallets for years, and I'm used to them being super easy to use. But this app had me feeling like a clown in a circus.

I have to admit, my determination was still going strong. I spent around ten minutes spinning my head, closing my eyes, winking, reciting letters, and I was actually getting worried that I'd have to do acrobatic tricks like walking on my hands or hopping on one leg to get into my new wallet – mentally, I was ready for that too.

But, no acrobatics were needed in the end, and finally, things started moving forward and...

The CAPTCHA came up. I've dealt with plenty of CAPTCHAs in the past, and there was a time when Yandex just overwhelmed me with them, but thankfully, that's no longer the case – CAPTCHAs are a rare sight these days.

But Webmoney had come up with a special kind of CAPTCHA. Check it out. If you're a woman like me, you'll understand my confusion.

I have no idea what a 'diesel engine' is or how it differs from others, and then I'm supposed to figure out which devices and cars it's associated with on this CAPTCHA.

I wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but the next CAPTCHA was a bit more lenient, and I managed to get through it, which allowed me to read the rules of Webmoney in my account.

It turned out that to withdraw money from Webmoney now, I need an attestation, not just identification.

And to get this attestation, I'd need to record a video, on top of which it's also a paid service. The price isn't even listed.

I took a breather after all that head-spinning, eye-blinking, and other contortions. After that, I had to think, am I really ready to record a video and pay for an attestation on a service that's already asking me to do some weird stuff?

When I first went through verification on Webmoney back in the day, I didn't need to do all that, I just entered my details, uploaded my passport scan, and sent it off. I got confirmation within three days and was good to go with my Webmoney wallet. Fast forward to 2024, and I'm totally frustrated that I didn't save this wallet, and now to get a new one, I'm basically forced to dance with my passport in hand in front of a webcam and send that video in. I was joking, but after going through the motions, I wasn't laughing.

So, I took a step back and thought, am I ready to do the cha cha slide with Webmoney or should I just bail on this new site that only pays out to Webmoney wallets?

After about an hour of deliberation, I decided to just go for it and make the video, opened my phone, ready to continue, but...in that time, the Webmoney app had a meltdown, and when I opened it up, I found out I had to redo the whole thing-

It turns out you have to take a selfie every time you log in, or the app just won't let you in.

And then, another captcha, different images, but still trying to get me to show my ID.

It's like they've engine-replaced Webmoney or something.

I've used this mobile app on the go, and it's been a lifesaver when I needed to send money to someone in a different city or country.

Think about it - you're in a public place, and you need to translate the currency and send money through an app like Yandex or a bank's mobile app. It can be a real pain.

When I tried using the Webmoney app in public, I was a bit worried that people would think I'd lost my mind. I mean, I'd be standing there, staring at my phone, making weird noises, and blinking rapidly... it was pretty embarrassing.

Webmoney was a great wallet in the past. I used it all the time, and it was super convenient. Many websites allowed you to withdraw money to your Webmoney wallet, and it was a lifesaver. I wish I hadn't abandoned it, but now it seems like it's just too much hassle to set it up in Russia in 2024.

I decided to give up on setting up a new Webmoney wallet. And to be honest, I'm not even that bothered that I can't restore my old one. It's probably for the best, since it means my personal data is safe.

Back in the day, before 2015, there was some transparency about who owned the project and who was behind it.

Now, it's like they've vanished into thin air. No one knows who owns Webmoney or where the company is based.

So, I'm glad my personal data and passport scans are safe from these unknown owners. And no way am I sending them my info again.

Because I used to trust this project and feel confident using this wallet, but now that I've seen these new features, I've lost all trust in it and I'm not interested in using it anymore.