Western Union Wire-Fraud Refunds: Deadline Nears

BAY AREA, CA – Western Union is refunding more than a half-billion dollars to fraud victims who were duped into sending money using a variety of scams over a 13-year period, and the deadline to apply is nearing.

"Western Union agreed to pay $586 million and admitted to aiding and abetting wire fraud," the Federal Trade Commission said last month, following a joint investigation with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. "DOJ is now using that money to provide refunds to people who were tricked into using Western Union to pay scammers."

A total of $586 million is available for people who wired money using Western Union to scam artists between Jan. 1, 2004 and Jan. 19, 2017. The deadline to apply to Western Union for a refund is Feb. 18, 2018, but officials urge eligible parties not to wait for the deadline.

Filing a claim is free, so victims are advised to not pay anyone to file claims on their behalf. The agency also noted that no one associated with the claims process will call to ask for consumers’ bank account or credit card numbers.

Different scams involved included fake tax collectors, fake law enforcement officers, and fake grandchildren in jail who claimed to be in need of bail money.

“American consumers lost money while Western Union looked the other way,” FTC Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen said. “We’re pleased to start the process that will get that money back into consumers’ rightful hands.”

For filing instructions and other information, visit the FTC's website at https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/western-union-settlement-faqs.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Shutterstock image