Scam victims who were conned into using Western Union to wire money to fraudsters may be able to get at least some of their money back.
Western Union recently agreed to pay $586 million to settle charges that the financial services giant failed to address hundreds of thousands of complaints related to fraudulent money transfers for phony lotteries and online dating services, bogus family emergencies, and other scams. To be eligible for the settlement, the scam must have occurred between January 1, 2004, and January 19, 2017, and you must file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by February 12.
Gilardi & Co., a claims administrator hired by the Justice Department, will mail forms to victims who have reported losses to Western Union, the Department of Justice or the FTC. The letters will contain instructions for filing a claim online. Victims who haven’t reported scams can go to FTC.gov/WU to file claims and get updates on the process. It will take the DOJ up to a year to validate claims and return money to victims.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
-
Stock Market Today: President Trump Reboots the Tariff TradeA broad consensus that markets hate uncertainty more than anything else is being tested on an almost daily basis in 2025.
-
Electric Car Owners Can’t Avoid Road Taxes in 2025New Taxes Hawaii launched its new EV road usage fee in July. Here’s why some states are implementing similar new electric vehicle taxes across the nation.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online BargainsFeature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
How to Guard Against Identity Theft in 2025Scammers are getting better at impersonating legitimate businesses.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnbreal estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
Social Media Scams Cost Consumers $2.7B, Study ShowsScams related to online shopping, investment schemes and romance top the FTC's social media list this year.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day? Everything We Know So Far, Plus Early DealsAmazon Prime Amazon Prime Day is four days this year - July 8 through 11, 2025. Here are the key details you need to know, plus some of our favorite early deals to shop ahead of and during the sale.
