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We’ve all known for a long time that scammers ask people to pay by wiring money. Money wiring companies like MoneyGram and Western Union have also known that scammers have people wire money using their services. In fact, the FTC has sued both companies – which have paid a lot of money to settle those charges – over exactly that issue. When the FTC settled with those companies (MoneyGram in 2009, Western Union in 2017), they also agreed to make changes to protect people from fraud. Except MoneyGram didn’t actually take some of those important steps.

That’s why the FTC and the Department of Justice (DOJ) just announced a new settlement with MoneyGram for $125 million. That money will eventually go back to people who wired – and lost – money to a scammer through MoneyGram starting in 2013. (There will be a date range for eligible refund requests. Exact dates will follow.)

Here’s the story: in 2009, MoneyGram had promised to vet the agents they were hiring, train them to spot fraud, monitor them to watch for fraud-related money transfers, take action if they saw an agent who didn’t try to reduce fraud, and also record fraud complaints and share them with the FTC.

But the FTC’s investigation showed that MoneyGram hadn’t adequately done those things – especially in their large chain outlets. And MoneyGram’s system that should have helped spot and stop fraudsters operating in plain sight? It basically didn’t work for a year and a half, letting millions of dollars in fraud-related transfers go through.

Now, MoneyGram has to put in place more protections that address all the ways it did not follow the order last time. And pay that $125 million to DOJ, which will work with the FTC to set up a refund program to get it back to people.

What should you do to get a refund? Right now, nothing. It might take several months for the refund process to even start. When it does, it will be free to request a refund. And we’ll tell you here and at ftc.gov/MoneyGram what happens next.

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

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We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

GiGi
April 16, 2019
So glad I didn't fall for this!!! I smelled a rat from the get go when I received my first computer-generated text that did not respond to "STOP" and "END"!
Spike
April 25, 2019
I too was scammed for approx $300,000 plus believing someone was in desperate trouble in another country and needed help to get back to US and his home. Supposedly he was in a bad situation with the tax system in the country he had done some work for. Well at 79 yrs you learn too late what kind of problem you have gotten into. I lost everything, even my house and am still in serious debt.
Don't uRedFox
April 29, 2019
I send money all the time through money Gram I did until they deemed me a terrestrial and told me I wasn't aloud to send money under my company name so I started sending it Wal Mart to Wal Mart and they stopped that the same way so I started sending it under my real name and on April 29,be2019 they deemed me a money scammer I own a company and my crews need money for gas, food and motel, I never send money out of the United States and I never send it to someone I don't know this makes me really upset since we started our business in 1986 I have wired money for ever even through Western Union and even got deemed a terrost through them I feel like I have really been done wrong the Government told us to use our company name when sending money so we did thirty two years later and I can no longer do that and now I can't even send money no where to anyone if I could Sue them for defamation of character I would
paulhua5
October 22, 2019
Hi my name is Paul I sent the 500 to money Gram and she did receive the money from money Gram can you investigation what happened to the 500 it belong to her that I sent
Jmt
May 18, 2019
CVS Caremark and Moneygram stole my money. NOT a foreign entity. CVS Caremark and Moneygram refused to send or return my money. Even after a verbal promise from a Moneygram representative no money was transferred. Both companies are corrupt. Beware
Jack 93
June 01, 2019
I’m hoping I can get at least $7000 dollars back from the scam from 2016 and may 24, 2019 . Please help me FTC.
JP
June 11, 2019
When can you file for a refund and where is the form for filing. I need to file
Helpless
June 16, 2019
My account is way overdrawn, I lost my rent money, got thrown out on the street lost my car, my direct deposit paychecks. I am out $26,000.00 due to romance scam.
Shirley
June 27, 2019
I lost thousands to these low down scammers. I have not been contacted to get my money back.I hope they do not overlook me!!
Indya
June 27, 2019
I was scammed by sending money to help military victims and I send a lot of money as I felt they need help because they served our country. I was scammed to help build a church in South Africa, Combodia and Ghana. Lots of money
fantomhorse
July 02, 2019
I just got scammed 29 June 2019 for $1180 bucks . Everything looked legit but later found out that a shipping company was trying to get me to send money for shipping an item I purchased with the $1180. I got angry as the agreement I had was that purchase included the shipping. I hope that I can retrieve my money and get these jerks as I am more than happy to charge them big time.
Sandra
July 23, 2019
I am lost and not sure what to do... I was trying to get a large sum of money from a loan company and now they are saying I have to pay $450.00 for wiring taxes or they are going to issue a warrant for my arrest... I don't know if they are telling the truth or not and now I am scared, I have done this before....
Jacob
August 03, 2019
Hi, When should I expect an update on this case? last update was on November 2018. Thanks.
Aziiza
August 05, 2019
Somebody has cashed out my money with ion money gram. I sent it to my name and was going to cash it in berlin.I figured somebody already has done it for me. What to do in this case ? I want to sue money gram for this ? How can it be cashed out without my ID ???
Grieving2017.
August 09, 2019
Mine began 2012 by military lesoctt Smith other,Donald Billy,Dan Morgan,Simeon Victor iTunes $900 more not iTunes, Richard an attorney. Even Chris Hemsworth.
David Kunzler
August 31, 2019
Innocent people who have sent money to friends and family for years are now flagged up as potential money launderers and both moneygram and western union are refusing to let them send money , this is totally unacceptable , there needs to be more accurate checking instead of a blanket ban effecting too many innocent people .
Cfbolin1
September 09, 2019
I was scammed for over 8,000 they acted like they was going to help me . They told me to purchase a google card for a hundred dollars and to give them number so they could put me money back on it, they acted like it didn’t work so had me to do another one. They scammed me for that much I thought I was safe since I was using google to get the information from them. Went to my bank to see if they could help me they tried but they told me I had been scammed with scammers doing it through google. I hope you can stop this and put these scammers in jail for the rest of there life.
MZ
September 11, 2019
I became a victim of Romance scam/Fraud where I was told that US citizen ***** was in custody and his passport got expired and he needed help. After I contacted the US Embassy, then I came to know that I got scammed. I would like to apply for "Western Union refund program" and "MoneyGram refund program". I have all the original receipts with me. I gave my whole life's savings ($157,000) between July 2014 - November 2014 where I do not even own a house. I have been going through severe depression. It would help me if I could get my money back.
LP188
September 24, 2019
Moneygram kept giving me “ the run around “ I called their customer three times and emailed them twice already regarding my two refunds in the amount of $200 that I requested more than two weeks ago and nothing happened. On their website they indicated that the time frame to process refunds would be three to ten business days. If they cannot keep their promises than don’t promise at all! This is call lying to their customers!!!
Gary
September 26, 2019
Its almost a year since the announcement and still no refund process. Why is that?
Macnit
October 22, 2019
Scam of the day Tom Smith Green Grant Fund Fed Ex Delivery Agency Director Management Ebay Gift Card
Elijah16
October 01, 2019
On September 16 2016 I got scammed. It was my my fault but #DCU, #Walmart the customer service agent she didn’t want to be I still remember her face, #Moneygram they could do better. It has been three years its still hurt.
Sue .R
October 10, 2019
I got scammed by someone saying he was real and from the us army got over $4000 from me....I really would.love my money back.
VikingByNature
October 14, 2019
I was scammed out of $750 Canadian (about $500 US) back in 2006 as a result of a so-called Advance Fee Loan Scam for which I had to secure that amount in order to (supposedly) get a $7,500 loan which never arrived. I believe I still have the MoneyGram transaction paperwork stashed away somewhere. Would I still be able to file a claim from somthing before 2009?
Raybrens
October 19, 2019
I'm waiting on this settlement too..... Scammed badly
Laha
October 30, 2019
I’m happy to know this as I was scammed by thousands of dollars by those who claimed they were IRS and police department . Really hopeful to get back the hard earned savings. Thanks!
Christine Bowers
November 06, 2019
I was scammed $350.00 by sending b it down to Florida. I was devastated by this
SCAMNOMORE
November 11, 2019
Its been a year since the memorandum for money gram refund of scam victims. I am curios about how much longer the claim process will take. Only each scam victim knows how detrimental it is and how struggling to get back on track affects our daily lives due to premeditated deception and the vile intent of taking advantage of good hearted people. Because of these cowardly thieves, now in our society people are not trusting others in a level that impedes decent humans from associating with harmony because we are uncertain of the present human trust. I am in awe about how certain people are cunning with evil to deceive others for their illegal gain. To all you victims who are fighting back by sharing your experience, I am proud to say that by not staying silent you are causing awareness to others as never before . I can relate on how each of you feel as victims, its mesmerizing , use this as an experience to make you a stronger person and at the same time help others avoid being scammed. Thank you for your efforts, and hopefully the good folk at the FTC can start accepting out claims soon.
PboswNY
April 27, 2020

In reply to by SCAMNOMORE

Hello Scamnomore, Do you have any idea when we will get the APPLICATIONS to file for our refund from money GRAM that those scammers took.
LucyLou
November 15, 2019
I,m Happy to hear there may be hope to get my money back from scam , Mine happen 2018 ~through 2019 & it is a lot of money , I,m about to lose everything I own , I have all my receipt ,names & states I sent to , It Is Sad How The Scammer Gets To You Psychologically in your head
Caurice
December 01, 2019
I thank god to hear this i was scammed for hundreds of dollars for this charity .
Troy
December 02, 2019
My elderly parents were scammed out of more than $200K...So I am very happy that something is being done .. Have signed up for updates..Hope this starts soon. They are now in a retirement home and could use their money back.
Fraud inside M…
March 15, 2021
Please read it carefully before you embroiled in MoneyGram. I've transferred 1200.- EUR to my wife (within Germany), but when she tried to receive the amount, MoneyGram agent claimed that someone else has already received it. So that, I complained & escalated to MoneyGram that an unknown person has taken the amount. Unfortunately, their investigation was neither professional nor serious as it implemented something else. The outcome said that the one who received the amount gave them the name, transfer Reference number verbally & received the amount accordingly. How come they never scanned nor copied the receiver’s ID !! What I’m pretty sure about is that there are robbers inside MoneyGram. Certainly, someone from MoneyGram team permeated into system & gave my data to one of his/her acquaintances & stole my money like this way. Anyway, I've reported that to police about a possibility of leakage of confidential information within MoneyGram team that leads to such fraud. As a customer I don’t trust MoneyGram anymore & will not dealing with such a company in the future. Laila
Mommabear
January 04, 2020
My daughter was just scammed out of $600 she sent through money gram for a security deposit on a house. How does she get her money back?
JP
January 09, 2020
I need to file a claim is the process open now to do so?
virgil if Las Vegad
January 28, 2020
I used them to complete a transaction last Sept 2029. I thought I should use an extra protection bu naming my fiancées name to make sure it was not a scam. The next day I found out Moneygram paid my almost $2,000 to a person using my fiancées name. I file a notice to their office in Manila, who told me it will take 90 days. Last Dec 2019, I called to follow up and was told they will not refund my money without giving reason!
Sheryl H
January 31, 2020
I use money gram all the time
Sheryl H
January 31, 2020
I was scammed and I was not refunded nothing
Dose
February 04, 2020
Never never send money to soldiers we will never ask for money even in our worst moments!!!
Elixer palo
February 26, 2020
I lost my many for my car loan and for my baby. I got scammed because I’d all I want is the puppy but I never received it and I send 865$ for it.
Soli
March 11, 2020
Recently, before moving to Germany, my daughter sent an amount of money via MoneyGram to herself to collect it in Berlin. But a stranger collected the money and MoneyGram's agent gave the money, did not asked for any ID certificate. Just paid the money by having the number of transaction.
Unclemoe
March 19, 2020
Scammed by puppy breeder and shipping co. hoping ti get money back somehow $650.00 to the breeder and $995.00 to the cargo co., waiting for help
Lorena Afre
April 08, 2020

In reply to by Unclemoe

Scammed from a (606)5345338 phone number, request $415 + $1350 for a package to be sent from Chile to Guatemala. I paid it though money gram, April 6th , however the bank where I've did the money gram said they have many cases before, and just told me a " we are sorry for you money lost". Money gram should recognize his type of scams.
PboswNY
March 19, 2020
I am very happy to know that we will get back out money that was taken away from us by scammers. Please I am waiting to hear as soon as it start. I lost over $40,000 through money GRAM and Walmart transfer. I just got my $5,900,00 I was scammed out of in 2013 through WESTERN UNION. Thanks for America Justice.
helmesmarlene30
February 22, 2021
I recently was taken for 1500 dollars from 2 companies one ACE CASH EXPRESS AND ADVANCE AMERICA FOR SUPPOSELY FOR INSURANCE AND COST WIRE MONEY FROM LOAN I NEVER GOT CHARLIE WILLIAMS AND TERRY LEWIS NATHAN WOODS 919 259 9409 786 404 1312 I HAVE ALL MY RECEIPT COPIES OF EBAY CARD FRIST THEY SAID CARDS SHOWED EMPTY SO STORE I BOUGHT THEM CALLED EBAY THEY TOLD ME WHERE THEY WAS USED AND WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS PAYING INSURANCE AND MONEY GRAM CHARGES I'M ON SET INCOME SO LOSS IS REALLY HURTING HOW CAN PEOPLE DO THAT THEY WAS FOREIGNERS IN BOTH COMPANIES
Goodguy1972
April 16, 2020
I had met a woman on line from the dating site of pleny of fish & her uncle sent me $200 to my paypal card & zhe wanted me to send it to her in AFRICA because she had told me that her mom is in the hospital over there, but when she had tried to withdraw the money from her bank, ahe was denied. So, when I had called money gram, the representative asked me for the persons name that I was sending it to, he had checked the name & he told me that there is no record of that name.so, my question is, does it sound like a scam or is it lagit? Thank you
Clarker097
February 22, 2021
I want my refund
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