ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Union Financial
Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corporation (NYSE: FDC), announced
today that it had completed the purchase of the Orlandi Valuta companies, Los
Angeles-based providers of electronic money transfer services.  The two
companies had established a business relationship in April, which included an
option for Western Union to purchase Orlandi Valuta.
    Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
    Orlandi Valuta will operate as an independent corporation and continue to
market the Orlandi Valuta name, which is well-established in the Mexico money
transfer marketplace.  Certain Orlandi Valuta agents will sell Western Union
branded products and services, including money transfer, money orders and in-
person bill payment services.
    Founded in 1985, Orlandi Valuta provides electronic money transfers from
the U.S. to Mexico through more than 2,000 retail agent locations in
California, Texas, Illinois, Florida and Mexico.  Company chairman and
founder, Paolo Orlandi, will not remain with the company.  However, company
President Hector R. Gonzalez has agreed to remain with the company in his
current position.
    "The Orlandi Valuta name and agent base are tremendous assets that will
help us continue to build our overall Mexico money transfer business," said
Charles T. Fote, executive vice president, First Data Corporation.  "Overall,
this will allow us to dramatically increase the brand presence of both Western
Union and Orlandi Valuta in the marketplace."
    Western Union provides money transfer service to Mexico through more than
20,000 U.S. agent locations.  Funds can be picked up in Mexico at any of more
than 3,000 locations, including Elektra stores, all Telecomm locations, as
well as a Bancapromex, Banco Bital and Hecali locations.
    Not including Orlandi Valuta, Western Union provides three different
Mexico money transfer services: Dinero en Minutos(R), a 10-mnute service,
Envio Consentido(SM), its new value-priced membership service, and Giro
Telegrafico, a service to remote locations in Mexico.
    "Orlandi Valuta will work with Western Union and other First Data
businesses to create synergy between common functions," Fote said.  "Consumers
will still benefit by having the choice of which service to use -- Western
Union or Orlandi Valuta.  Both services will be backed by our reputation for
service excellence."
    Western Union is a worldwide leader in consumer money transfer services.
The company provides rapid money transfer service through more than 36,000
agent locations in 140 countries worldwide.  Famous for its pioneering
telegraph service, the original Western Union dates back to 1851 and
introduced electronic money transfer service in 1871.
    Founded in 1992, Hackensack, NJ-based First Data is a global leader in
payment systems, electronic commerce and information management products and
services.  First Data and its principal operating units process the
information that allows millions of consumers to pay for goods and services by
credit, debit or smart card at the point of sale or over the Internet, by
check or wire money.  For further information about First Data, please visit
us on the Internet at http://www.firstdatacorp.com.

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