Consumer Alert
Questions on your money back from Western Union?
Since we told you it’s time to ask for your money back from Western Union’s settlement with the FTC, we’ve gotten some questions about who can make a claim, when, and how it works. Here are some answers.
- If you lost money to a scammer who had you pay using Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, you can file a claim. You have until February 12, 2018, to file your claim.
- You do not have to pay to get your money back. To file a claim, you have to give your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) on the claim form. But nobody will call you to ask for those numbers, or for your bank account or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer, so tell the FTC right away.
- If you don’t have either a Social Security number or an ITIN, check the box that says so. When asked for a reason, you can explain that you’re not a U.S. citizen – or whatever other explanation applies.
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is managing the claims process through the company they hired, Gilardi & Co. Your claim will go to Gilardi, but we suggest you start at FTC.gov/WU, which will link you to the claims website.
- If you had reported your loss to Western Union, the FTC, or another government agency earlier, you might have gotten a pre-filled claim form in the mail. But even if you didn’t, you can still file a claim.
- To prove how much you lost, it helps to have documentation – like a receipt or transfer send form. If you don’t have those, file anyway. Give as much information as you can about your wire transfer and the money you lost, including when and why you sent it. That will help DOJ validate your claim.
- We know it’s not that safe to send your Social Security number through the mail to someone you’ve never heard of. That’s why we suggest filing your claim online, starting at FTC.gov/WU. But if you got a claim form in the mail from Gilardi and you want to return it by mail, the only address to send it to is: United States v. The Western Union Company, PO Box 404027, Louisville, KY 40233-4027.
- If you have power of attorney for someone, or you represent their estate, you can file a claim on their behalf.
- How much money you get back depends on how many people file a claim, and how many claims DOJ can validate.
- It might take a year for DOJ to process all the claims and send out checks.
Check FTC.gov/WU for updates and answers to other questions.
Search Terms
In reply to What happens if you were by lperlste
You can report a scam to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. You can provide information about the company, what it promised, and what you received. The information you give goes into a database that law enforcement uses for investigations.
If you used a money transfer service, you can also report it to the Western Union Fraud Hotline at 800-448-1492 or MoneyGram Customer Care Center at 1‑800‑926‑9400.
In reply to You can report a scam to the by FTC Staff
In reply to You can report a scam to the by FTC Staff
In reply to Is there no monetary by E. Steed
People who sent money to a scammer through Western Union after January 19, 2017 are not covered by the FTC settlement with Western Union. You can report a problem to the WU Fraud Hotline at 800-448-1492 and to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint.
In reply to You can report a scam to the by FTC Staff
In reply to I am from Canada am I still by Karen O
Yes, you are able to file if you are from Canada. The remission website says you are not required to be a United States citizen or in the United States to file a petition. Go to FTC.gov/WU for more information and to start the process of filing a claim. You must file by May 31, 2018.
In reply to You can report a scam to the by FTC Staff
In reply to I received a document because by Amy
DOJ is the United States Department of Justice.
In reply to DOJ is the United States by FTC Staff
In reply to I sent a claim in that sais by stellavt36
The US Department of Justice hired Gilardi & Co to manage the refund process. Gilardi & Co sent letters to some people and asked them to send information about their claims.
If you get a letter from Gilardi & Co and send the information they ask for, it can help Gilardi & Co evaluate your claim for a refund.
Click on www.FTC.gov/WU to see the FTC page about the Western Union refunds.
In reply to You already told me my claim by Ripped off
Please read the questions and answers at FTC.gov/WU.
Before you can get a refund, your claim must be verified by the Department of Justice. If your claim is verified, the amount you get will depend on how much you lost and the total number of people who submit valid claims.
Only the money you transferred through Western Union is eligible for a refund. Money you paid for Western Union fees is not eligible for a refund. Money you sent through other wire transfer businesses or lost in other ways is not eligible for a refund.
In reply to Please read the questions and by FTC Staff
In reply to Please read the questions and by FTC Staff
In reply to I was a victim of the Western by sienna
You can file a claim if you don't have documents. Give as much information as you can about your wire transfer and the money you lost. Tell when you sent the money and why. Those details will help the Department of Justice validate your claim. To start, go to FTC.gov/WU.
You must file by February 12, 2018.
In reply to You can file a claim if you by FTC Staff
In reply to When im getting my money back by Monique1982
It may take up to a year to process and verify people’s claims and determine who is eligible to get a payment. Go to FTC.gov/WU for more information and news.
In reply to It may take up to a year to by FTC Staff
One-year that is unreal. It should be verified upon entry. What about those that were sent a letter indicating the fraud and the amount and the claim data are they waiting a year as well?
In reply to One-year that is unreal. It by berts500
All claims are reviewed as they are received. It may take up to a year to process and verify people’s claims and determine who is eligible to get a payment. Go to FTC.gov/WU for more information and news.
In reply to what if the date of the scam by Bob W
You can't file a claim through this refund process for money lost on 8/23/17. You can report the scam to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint, and notify the wire transfer company you used. You can call the Western Union Fraud Hotline at 800-448-1492 or MoneyGram Customer Care Center at 1‑800‑926‑9400.
In reply to I lost $4500 and the money by Steamboat 7
If you lost the money to a scammer between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017 and you paid by Western Union, you can file a claim to get money back. You must file a claim by February 12, 2018. Go to FTC.gov/WU to start.
In reply to Why do we need to give our by Mary k
You must give your Social Security Number because, before the Department of Justice (DOJ) can send a refund, DOJ must check with the Treasury Offset Program to verify that you don't owe any money to the federal government. DOJ needs your Social Security number to do the verification.
In reply to You must give your Social by FTC Staff
In reply to already been scammed once how by mary k
If you don't want to send your Social Security Number on a claim form by postal mail, the FTC suggests that you file your claim online, start at FTC.gov/WU.
Re: Scam I was scammed on 04/27/2017 for $1,330 via Western Union and reported the larceny to the Troy, NY Police Dept. The date of crime is not included in the present WU settlement cited in your email. Is there another action pending to include my date of theft? What action can I take now?
In reply to Re: Scam by artpaw
You can report the scam to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint, and call the Western Union Fraud Hotline at 800-448-1492.
In reply to You can report the scam to by FTC Staff
In reply to I sent money to the AZ prison by gandrews 24
If you lost money to a scammer between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017 and you paid by Western Union, you can file a claim to get money back. You must file a claim by February 12, 2018. Go to FTC.gov/WU to begin.
In reply to We were scammed and asked not by Don't use your…
This refund process is related only to money you lost to a scammer between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017 and sent by Western Union. You must file a claim by February 12, 2018. Go to FTC.gov/WU to start the process.
You can report problems with a MoneyGram transfer to MoneyGram Customer Care Center at 1‑800‑926‑9400.
In reply to There is an actual attorney by Christina
Christina, Thank you for your comment. Could you send a copy of your comment about the attorney to bloginfo@ftc.gov?
In reply to I recently was scammed out of by Recently Skammed
You can report the scam to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint and to Western Union's Fraud Hotline at 800-448-1492. The information you give the FTC goes into a secure database that law enforcement uses for investigations nationwide.
sorry before was not right adrress. Well that's a good news I'll see what else I have left and will send via mail. Thank you very much for the good news
In reply to Noticed that you said the by Cynic
Western Union paid $586 million to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. Learn more about the refund process at FTC.gov/WU and the Department of Justice Remission site.
In reply to Western Union paid $586 by FTC Staff
In reply to My mother was scammed and we by Goodrow
Are you getting email from Western Union or from the Gilardi & Co., the company that is working with the US Department of Justice to verify claims?
If you are communicating with Gilardi & Co., they are asking for information so they can verify the claim. It may take up to a year to process and verify people’s claims and determine who is eligible to get a payment. No one has gotten a payment yet.
In reply to My mother was scammed and we by Goodrow
In reply to My husband are being scammed by jennifercose
Gilardi & Co. works for the US Department of Justice. It is helping the US Department of Justice with the refund process. Gilardi & Co. asked some people to send more proof. You can tell Gilardi about this problem with Western Union, and give them the papers you have now.
You can send email to Gilardi & Co. to say Western Union did not send the papers you need. Send email to Gilardi at info@WesternUnionRemission.com.
Or, write a letter to Gilardi at:
United States v. The Western Union Company
P.O. Box 404027
Louisville, KY 40233-4027
In reply to My mother gave my brother $6 by kathmitch
The questions answers at FTC.gov/WU say you can file a claim for a family member, friend or client if you represent their estate, or if you have a power of attorney for the person making the claim. The other questions and answers at FTC.gov/WU explain more about the refund process.
In reply to Not only was I scammed when I by Scammed&mad25
Read about the kinds of scams covered by the Western Union refunds at FTC.gov/WU.
If you lost money to a scammer between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017 and you paid by Western Union, you can file a claim to get money back. You must file a claim by February 12, 2018. Go to FTC.gov/WU to start the process.