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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Victims who were scammed by using Western Union to pay money to con artists are eligible for a payout, and have a May 31 deadline to apply, following a joint investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commissio, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Western Union agreed to pay $586 million and admitted to aiding and abetting wire fraud, according to a Department of Justice new release.
The money will be used to provide compensation to victims who were scammed.
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bob Casey, D-Pa., the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, remind those who lost money to a scammer and paid through Western Union that they must file a claim by May 31.
“Each year, scammers take nearly $3 billion from older Americans through scams and financial exploitation,” said Collins. “While most, unfortunately, do not have the opportunity to get their money back, I am pleased that some will be able to take part in this settlement. I urge those who have fallen victim to scams and paid through Western Union to file their claim before the May 31 deadline.”
Casey said, “I encourage anyone who was scammed and sent money through Western Union to submit a claim before the May 31 deadline. Too often, criminals target those who saved their whole lives for their later years. They seek to take the funds that older adults depend on to live. I am pleased that seniors and others who were victimized have an opportunity to seek compensation for their losses.”
It is important to know that in order to be eligible for compensation, the transactions must have occurred between Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 19, 2017. Each claim must be verified by the Department of Justice and may take up to a year to process. Victims who sent multiple payments through Western Union may file claims for all transactions.
For more information, visit the FTC’s frequently asked questions webpage, email the administrator at info@westernunionremission.com, or call the administrator at 1-844-319-2124.
