Our licensing status
MellaPay LLC is a licensed money transmitter registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as a Money Services Business, under NMLS ID #2737991. We operate in accordance with applicable federal and state money transmission laws.
MellaPay funds transfers from US bank accounts and US-issued cards only, and pays recipients in Ethiopian birr through licensed banks and mobile money providers in Ethiopia.
What we are required to do
As a registered Money Services Business, MellaPay is subject to the following obligations.
Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) & Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
We maintain a written AML program with a designated compliance officer, ongoing staff training, independent review, and recordkeeping for every transfer we process.
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
Every sender and recipient is screened against OFAC and Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) sanctions lists before a transfer is released.
Know Your Customer (KYC) & Customer Due Diligence
We verify your identity with a government-issued ID and proof of address. Higher-value activity triggers enhanced due diligence, as federal rules require.
Reporting obligations
We file Currency Transaction Reports and Suspicious Activity Reports where the law requires it. We cannot notify you when a suspicious activity report is filed.
How we protect your money
Your funds are kept separate
Customer transfer funds are held in settlement accounts at our US banking partner, separate from MellaPay operating funds.
Card details never touch our servers
Payment credentials are captured and stored by our banking partner’s certified payment gateway. MellaPay never stores your full card number.
Encrypted in transit
256-bit SSL/TLS protects data moving between your device, MellaPay, and our banking partners.
Every transfer is traceable
Each transfer carries a reference you can track end to end, and we reconcile payouts against our partner records daily.
Verify us independently
You do not have to take our word for it. FinCEN publishes a public register of Money Services Businesses that you can search yourself.
FinCEN MSB Registrant SearchSearch the official federal register of registered money services businesses on fincen.govReport fraud or a concern
If you believe a transfer was made under pressure, or someone asked you to send money to claim a prize, a job, a loan, or a romantic partner in difficulty, stop and contact us before you send. We will never ask you to send money to a MellaPay employee.
This page is provided for general information and is not legal advice. It does not replace our Terms and Conditions.