Western Union Remission

Western Union paid $586 million to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (or FTC), and the Department of Justice (or DOJ).   The company admitted to criminally aiding and abetting wire fraud and to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. The U. S. Postal Inspection Service investigated various schemes in which fraudsters contacted victims and falsely posed as family members in need or federal law enforcement officials, or falsely promised prizes, loans, employment opportunities, discounted products or other financial awards. The fraudsters directed the victims to send money through Western Union to help relatives, avoid imprisonment or arrest, or to claim prizes, receive loans, employment, products or some other financial award.  No one received the cash, prizes or other promised items.

You may be eligible for a remission payment if you sent a money transfer through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, and were the victim of fraud.  To apply, you must file a Petition of Remission. As of September 30, 2019, the online submission process for Petitions for Remission has closed. The acceptance of mailed Petitions for Remission postmarked after this date will be subject to the Justice Department’s discretion.

Your payment will be based only on the amount of the money transfer. You cannot recover collateral expenses such as Western Union fees, incidental losses, or transfers sent through other companies.

The money paid by Western Union will be made available to victims through a process called "remission." The remission process is governed by the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 28, Part 9. If you filed a petition for remission detailing the loss amount before the filing deadline, DOJ’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section will compare the requests to Western Union’s records and decide whether to grant the petition. After the DOJ has reviewed all petitions, approved petitioners will get payment for some or all of their approved loss.

As of September 30, 2019, the online submission process for Petitions for Remission has closed. The acceptance of mailed Petitions for Remission postmarked after this date will be subject to the Justice Department’s discretion.

Information regarding additional noticing to eligible victims and future submission deadlines for persons who did not submit petitions during the original filing period will be announced in the coming months.

We mailed many victims petitions with pre-populated loss amounts. Those forms can be returned online or in the mail to the Remission Administrator.  If you didn’t get a pre-filled petition, you may file a petition electronically at www.westernunionremissionphase2.com or call to have a petition form mailed to you.

All wire transfers within and outside of the United States made through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, may be eligible for remission.

No. You are not required to be a United States citizen or in the United States to file a petition.

DOJ in conjunction with USPIS and the Remission Administrator continues to review Petitions for Remission and Reconsideration Request forms from potential victims of the Western Union fraud and anticipates authorizing compensation for the remaining eligible victims within the first quarter of 2022.

If you do not submit a Petition for Remission, you will not get a payment.

If your petition is approved, it must be reviewed by the Treasury Offset Program to verify that you do not owe any money to the federal government or certain state debts. If you owe money, your payment will be used to pay your debt. If your payment is more than the amount you owe, you will get the remainder.

Only the amount of the transfer will be included in approved remission amounts. Collateral expenses such as Western Union fees, incidental losses, or transfers sent through other businesses are not recoverable through the remission process. More information is available HERE.

The MTCN is the number you get from Western Union when you wire money. It helps identify your transfer. You may still submit a petition without this number. Please provide any other details about the transaction that may help us validate the transfer.

Please enter the amount you transferred and indicate what currency your funds were in.  We will convert that amount to dollars using the exchange rate at the time of the transaction. We’ll use that amount to determine your loss.

Yes. If the person who transferred money is deceased, please submit the petition in the name of the deceased, and include verification of the death and documents showing that you represent the estate.

Please submit your request in writing to [email protected]. Please include your assigned Claim ID if known, your full name, previous address if applicable, and current address.

We recommend you provide all relevant supporting documentation along with the check to the bank to cash or deposit the check.

If you are having difficulty with the bank, you may request a name change in writing by emailing [email protected] with copies of all supporting documentation of the name change. The request will undergo a review process, and the requested change is not guaranteed.  Please be patient.

A Form-1099 or other tax form is not included with the payment.  If you have any questions about potential tax issues as a result of this award, we recommend that you consult a professional tax consultant. We cannot provide you with tax advice and your inquiries on that subject will not receive a response.

A blank form is available HERE.

No, you do not need an attorney to file a petition.

The Department of Justice does not charge fees for you to participate in the remission process.

According to the Western Union website, you can request a receipt by completing and accurately filling out the transactional histroy request form:

1. Go to the Transactional History Request Form

2. Complete the form and click “Submit.”

If your recognized loss amount is less than the amount you claimed in your petition, and you believe the determination is incorrect, you may appeal by submitting a request for reconsideration of the decision.

If you are eligible to submit a request for reconsideration, a Determination Reconsideration Request form will be included with your determination letter and check. You may submit your request for reconsideration by mailing the completed form, including a 10-digit Western Union Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) for each transaction, and appropriate documentation, to United States v. The Western Union Company, P.O. Box 8060, San Rafael, CA 94912-8060.

For each claimed transaction, you must provide a 10-digit Western Union Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN). You must also provide a Western Union Transfer Send Form, receipt, and information detailing the fraud, which shows that you wired funds from a Western Union location between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2007.

The deadline to submit a request for reconsideration is provided on the determination letter.

Yes, you may cash your check. The check represents benefits to which you are entitled. Cashing the check will not affect your request for reconsideration. Reconsideration will not decrease the benefits to which you are entitled.

The Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) is a ten-digit unique number assigned to your transfer. For money transfers initiated at WU.com or in the Western Union app, the MTCN is available on the email confirmation for the money transfer. For money transfers initiated in person, the MTCN is available on the printed receipt.

For the latest information about the remission process:

•           Check the Home page for updates.

•           Email [email protected]

•           Or call (844) 319-2124

Approved petitioners will receive checks issued by Huntington Bank.