Deadline fast approaching for Western Union refunds

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Consumers who were cheated by a scammer when wiring money through Western Union, must file a claim by May 31, 2018 to get their money back.

If you lost money when wiring funds through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017 you can file separate claims to request a refund for each wire transfer. Fees paid for Western Union’s services will not be eligible for a refund. Any money you owe to the federal government will also be deducted from your refund.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it may take up to a year to determine eligibility and process the claim. You may fill out a form and submit it online, or print out a form and mail it into Western Union (click below for details).

Filing a claim is free—you don’t need to hire a lawyer.  The FTC warns that any written or phone requests related to the refunds should be considered scams.

Start here to file a claim. The deadline to file a claim is May 31, 2018.

The scams involved with the Western Union settlement include:

• Online or internet scams - you did not receive the items you tried to buy online
• Lottery or prize promotion scams - you were told you won a lottery or sweepstakes, but never got the prize 
• Emergency or grandparent scams - you sent money to someone pretending to be a relative or friend in urgent need of money
• Advance-fee loan scams - you paid upfront fees, but did not get the promised loans 
• Online dating or romance scams - you sent money to someone who created a fake profile on a dating or social networking website.

Spot a scam before you fall victim by reading Consumer Action’s SCAM GRAM. It alerts you to the dirtiest players in the world of tech fraud, credit card scams, ID theft and general con-artistry.