Consumer Alert
New alert for Western Union refunds
Did you lose money to a scam, wiring the money via Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017? If so, you might know that May 31 is the deadline for filing your claim to get money back from the FTC’s and the Department of Justice’s settlement with Western Union. With the deadline fast approaching, we know two things: (1) there will probably be a rush of last-minute filers; and (2) scammers will try to take advantage of the people filing claims.
We’re sure about those scammers because we’ve already seen them (and told you about them). And we’re still seeing scams that offer to get you special access, so-called easier ways to file, and promises of big amounts of money. This includes one recent email that said it came from the FBI, promised a refund of more than $500,000 – and said you could claim it just by emailing a Gmail address.
So, as the days click down until the May 31 deadline for filing, remember: if anyone promises you a refund – or says they’re the only way to get one, that’s a scam. If anybody tries to charge you to get your money back, that’s also a scam. If you’re still planning to submit a claim, here are a few quick pointers:
- Start your claim at FTC.gov/WU. You don’t need to email anybody or hire a lawyer. Just start here, put in as much information as you have, upload whatever documents you have, and submit.
- It’s free to file your claim. Don’t pay anybody to get a refund. Ever.
- There are no guarantees. Nobody can promise you a refund at all, much less a specific amount of money. There’s a whole process that will happen once all the claims are in – to validate them, and then divide up the money among all the people who qualified.
- There are no short-cuts. That validation process? It’ll take a while. There’s no short-cut or special access. It might take a year to get your money back, but nobody can help you get it any faster.
If you spot anybody making any of those promises, or charging for a refund, the FTC wants to know about it.
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In reply to I lose $850.00 in 2004 to by Brambles
If you used Western Union to send money to a scammer between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, you can file a claim to get money back. You must file a claim by May 31, 2018.
You can file the claim online. Go to FTC.gov/WU to read about the claim process. Click the orange button near the top of the FTC.gov/WU page to connect to the US Department of Justice website where you file a claim.
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
Hello, Is there a refund for Moneygram and Walmart2Walmart too. I was scammed by someone on Match.com and sent money to Nigeria too.
In reply to Hello, by ssabh
The refund program is related only to transfers made through Western Union. You can report other transactions to the FTC at FTC.gov/Complaint and to the wire transfer company you used. Call the MoneyGram Customer Care Center at 1‑800‑926‑9400. If the scammer contacted you through a website, for example a product sales or social media website, you can report the problem to that site.
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to I'm still waiting on my check by Aising Seechan
If you filed a claim to ask for a refund, you do not need to file again. The refund administrator is reviewing all the claims that people filed. It could take up to one year for the administrator to review all the claims.
When the administrator is done reviewing the claims, the FTC will post a message on FTC.gov/WU.
In reply to I'm still waiting on my check by Aising Seechan
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to I returned all my paperwork by sassy
In reply to I got the letter from Gilardi by SHBr
The company hired to handle the refunds - Gilardi & Co. - has not sent out decisions about who is eligible. The FTC's information page about refunds is www.FTC.gov/WU. Gilardi & Co. has information at www.WesternUnionRemission.com. You can check those pages for updates.
In reply to The company hired to handle by FTC Staff
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to I filed a claim last year and by Truax360
In reply to I filed loooong before the by Tiffany
In reply to Yeah I sent mine long before by Alice
This blog tells you to start your claim at www.FTC.gov/WU. That is the FTC page for questions and answers and information about Western Union refunds. That page has a link to www.WesternUnionRemission.com, the website of Gilardi & Co.. Gilardi & Co. is the administrator hired by the US Department of Justice to manage refunds. Gilardi & Co. added three updates to its site in 2019.
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to I just received in the mail a by jgorin
Did your letter come from Gilardi & Co.?
Gilardi & Co is the company that is managing the refund process for the US Department of Justice. Gilardi & Co. is reviewing all the claim forms that people sent in. When the company has questions about a claim form, it has been writing to people to ask them for more information about the claim.
If your letter didn't come from Gilardi & Co., it might have been a scam. You can report that to the FTC at www.FTC.gov/Complaint.
Get the latest updates about the refund process at www.FTC.gov/WU.
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to I'm beginning to suspect this by uber22
You can stay informed by reading updates about the refund process at www.FTC.gov/WU and on the website of Gilardi & Co at www.WesternUnionRemission.com. Both the FTC and the redress administrator, Gilardi & Co, have updates about the letters Gilardi & Co mailed to people to verify claims in March 2019, and the status of the refund process.
In reply to You can stay informed by by FTC Staff
In reply to I filed my claim back in by Jessica R
In March 2019, Gilardi & Co. sent letters to 38,000 people that asked those people to give more information about their claims. The deadline for those 38,000 people to reply was June 30, 2019.
As of today, Gilardi & Co. has not sent out decisions about who is eligible for a refund. You can stay informed by reading information at www.FTC.gov/WU and www.WesternUnionRemission.com.
In reply to I'm beginning to suspect this by uber22
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to If you used Western Union to by FTC Staff
In reply to I lose $850.00 in 2004 to by Brambles
In reply to I lost 3,000.00 via a Ebay by icon
In reply to I'M GOING THROUGH THE SAME by wlol87
People sent in more than 180,000 refund claims. Gilardi & Co, the company the US Department of Justice hired to manage the refund process, is reviewing and evaluating all the claims to determine eligibility. If information is missing from your claim, Gilardi & Co. may contact you by mail to ask for more information. After Gilardi & Co. reviews the claims, it will send recommendations to the US Department of Justice for final decisions. No payments will happen until after all the claims are reviewed. Check FTC.gov/WU or westernunionremission.com for updates.
In reply to I lost 3,000.00 via a Ebay by icon
In reply to I lose $850.00 in 2004 to by Brambles
In reply to I filed my form over 2 yrs by No one's getti…
More than 180,000 petitions were submitted. The company that the US Department of Justice hired to manage the review process, Gilardi & Co., is working to verify the claims that people send in. When Gilardi & Co. finds a claim that needs more information, they contact the person by mail and ask them to explain the lack of information and ask for more information.
It could take up to one year to review and verify all the peititions. Gilardi & Co will not make any final decisions or send any payments until they review all the claims.
You can stay informed by reading updates at www.FTC.gov/WU and Gilardi & Co.
In reply to More than 180,000 petitions by FTC Staff
In reply to More than 180,000 petitions by FTC Staff
In reply to You said they won't be by Kelly
In reply to I am in the same boat. I by sassy
Go to the Gilardi & Co. site to read the March 10, 2020 update:
The Department of Justice has begun its first distribution of approximately $153 million in funds forfeited to the U.S. Government from the Western Union Company to over 109,000 victims located in the United States and abroad. These victims will be recovering the full amount of their losses.
This first round of payments is one of several expected to occur in the Western Union remission.
In reply to I filed my form over 2 yrs by No one's getti…
Are considered? I sent all the deposit by post All deposits were made in Nigeria and turned out be a scammers
In reply to Are considered? by mluminita624
This refund program is for people who used Western Union wire transfers to send money to scammers.
If you used Western Union to send money transfers to a scammer between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, you can file a claim to get money back. You must file a claim by May 31, 2018.
You can file the claim online. Go to FTC.gov/WU to read about the claim process. Click the orange button near the top of the FTC.gov/WU page to connect to the US Department of Justice website where you file a claim.
In reply to Are considered? by mluminita624
In reply to I don’t think they can do by Solitary1972
In reply to I know a guy who got me a lot by iknow56
In reply to How do I know if you got my by Canzi
You can contact the refund administrator to ask about your claim. The contact information is on this page. And save a link to FTC.gov/WU. We have useful information for claimants, and we'll update the page when there is news.
In reply to You can contact the refund by FTC Staff
In reply to I was wondering if you by Frank L
You can contact the refund administrator to ask about your claim. The contact information is on this page. And save a link to FTC.gov/WU. We have useful information for claimants, and we'll update the page when there is news.
In reply to How do I know if you got my by Canzi
In reply to It's been months, how do I by Tracey Claire
The refund administrator, Gilardi & Co., is working to verify claims now. This process could take up to a year. When the verification process is complete, we will post an update at FTC.gov/WU
In reply to How do I know if you got my by Canzi
In reply to Hello, by farokhfaraz2
For more information about the remission process: