I’ve talked to hundreds of people who were ripped off by scammers.
Some have been so angry I feared they were going to pass out because they got so worked up during our conversations. Others were more embarrassed than mad, realizing after the fact they should have known better.
The one emotion most victims shared was hopelessness. They lamented how unlikely it was they’d get their money back.
That’s often the case. But not everyone has to give up. There’s new hope for potentially thousands of victims, including some who were scammed nearly two decades ago.
If you lost money by wiring it to a crook through Western Union between Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 19, 2017, you can file a claim for a refund.
But you must file the claim soon. The deadline is Aug. 31.
The refunds come from a settlement Western Union signed with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2017. The money transfer service agreed to provide $586 million for authorities to pay restitution to scam victims. Authorities alleged Western Union knew its network was being used to commit crimes and didn’t do enough about it.
The feds already distributed more than $366 million to more than 148,000 people. And because there still is money remaining, they are accepting a second round of claims.
Victims must file a form, officially known as a petition for remission. Forms are available online at WesternUnionRemissionPhase2.com. Forms also can be downloaded from that website and submitted by mail. To request that a claim form be…
