Western Union fraud victims remission, Phase 3 (Justice Department) settlement
United States v. The Western Union Company (Phase Three remission; not a class action)
Also known as Western Union remission; Western Union refund; WU Phase 3; Department of Justice; Gilardi
The Justice Department said Western Union processed transfers for fraudsters who scammed consumers worldwide.
Copied from the official notice. Last compared Nov 3, 2026.
- You could get
- Some or all of your loss
Source
“approved petitioners will get payment for some or all of their approved loss”
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page. Last compared Nov 3, 2026.
- You need
- Receipt required Needs the code from your notice To file online: the Claim ID and PIN from your letter, or the option for people without them Some paperwork: describes the claim form only
Source
“You may file a petition online using the PIN and ClaimID provided on the first page of the letter received and upload your documentation online ... If you didn’t get a pre-filled petition, but believe you were a victim of the fraud related to this remission, you may file a petition online or download and print a copy of a petition form and mail it in. ... If you are not a US Citizen, please select the “I am not a U.S. Citizen” option.”
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page. Last compared Nov 3, 2026.
- Who can file
- Scam victim who sent money via Western Union, 2004 to March 2020
Source
“If you believe you were a victim of the fraud described above and you made a wire transfer through Western Union between ... January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020”
From the administrator site: Official remission website home page. Last compared Nov 3, 2026.
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S.
Source
“You may be eligible for a remission payment if you sent a money transfer through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020, and were the victim of fraud.”
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page. Last compared Nov 3, 2026.
- Time to file
- About 15 minutes
Source
Our estimate of how long the official claim form takes. The notice does not say.
From the official site: westernunionremissionphase3.com. Last compared Nov 3, 2026.
Free. The official site never charges.
Quick answers
How much is the Western Union fraud victims remission, Phase 3 (Justice Department) settlement payout?
Some or all of your loss.
Where is the Western Union fraud victims remission, Phase 3 (Justice Department) settlement claim form?
On the official site, www.westernunionremissionphase3.com. Filing is free. The last day to file is Dec 31, 2026.
When will the Western Union fraud victims remission, Phase 3 (Justice Department) settlement pay?
Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.
For context: First payments were issued 52 to 875 days after final approval, based on 15 settlements. Half were paid within 119 days. 1 of the 15 waited on appeals after approval.
Is the Western Union fraud victims remission, Phase 3 (Justice Department) settlement legit?
The settlement administrator (the company that handles claims) is Verita, and the official site is www.westernunionremissionphase3.com. Real notices point there; if a link in a message goes anywhere else, do not use it.
The official site never asks you to pay to file.
Compare yourself to the official class definition
You may be included if you were a fraud victim and sent money through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020.
It covers only transfers in your own name not already claimed in Phase 1 or 2. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or live in the U.S.
Check each condition yourself. The boxes are only for you; nothing is sent or stored.
You may be eligible for a remission payment if you sent a money transfer through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020, and were the victim of fraud.
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page
This checklist is for guidance only and can be wrong. Only the court's definition decides. Read the official wording before you file.
How to file
-
Find the code from your notice
- To file online: the Claim ID and PIN from your letter, or the option for people without them
-
Gather what you need
You will need a receipt or other proof of purchase.
- The 10-digit MTCN, sent date and amount of each fraud transfer from January 1, 2004 to March 9, 2020
- Your Social Security Number or ITIN if you are a U.S. citizen; others tick 'I am not a U.S. Citizen'
- Copies (not originals) of receipts or other documents if your MTCN cannot be verified
-
File online, or by mail
At www.westernunionremissionphase3.com, by Dec 31, 2026. Filing is free.
Or mail a paper claim form to:United States v. The Western Union Company Phase Three Remission Administrator, P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132
The deadline note says: “Online on or before December 31, 2026, or by mail postmarked on or before December 31, 2026.”“Mailed petitions postmarked later are accepted only at the Justice Department's discretion.” -
Save your confirmation
Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again.
Confirm with the administrator before you act.
After you file
Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.
For context: First payments were issued 52 to 875 days after final approval, based on 15 settlements. Half were paid within 119 days. 1 of the 15 waited on appeals after approval.
Also ending this week
Related settlements
Case details
- Case
- United States v. The Western Union Company (Phase Three remission; not a class action)
- Court
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- Case number
- 1:17-cr-00011 (M.D. Pa.)
- Administrator
- Verita
- Official site
- www.westernunionremissionphase3.com
- Settlement fund
- $586 million forfeited by Western Union (over $430 million already paid to over 178,000 victims in Phases 1 and 2)
- Full payout terms
- Some or all of your Western Union fraud transfer lossesUp to the amount of your eligible fraud transfers, minus any refund already received; only the transfer amount counts, not Western Union fees, incidental losses or transfers through other companies. After reviewing all petitions, the Justice Department pays approved petitioners some or all of their approved loss.
- Effort
- Medium, about 15 minutes
The court’s exact words
You may be eligible for a remission payment if you sent a money transfer through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020, and were the victim of fraud.
Quoted from the official notice. Read the notice for the full definition.
Our notes: This is not a class action: it is a U.S. Department of Justice remission program that pays victims from the $586 million Western Union forfeited under a 2017 deferred prosecution agreement, run by Verita Global as remission administrator. You may file a Petition for Remission if you were a victim of fraud (such as grandparent, lottery or sweepstakes, or romance scams) and sent money through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020. Only transfers in your own name count. People paid in Phase 1 or 2 may file only for transactions they did not submit before. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen or live in the United States. A petition for a person who has died is filed in that person's name with death and estate documents.
Sources and checks (5)
Every fact people act on was copied from the official source and compared with it. How we check
- Official remission website home page administrator site
- Official FAQ page administrator site
- Official Case Documents page administrator site
- Official Petition for Remission form (PDF on official site) administrator site
- Official online petition page administrator site
What changedLast change Oct 29, 2026
- Page created. Claims open until December 31, 2026. source document
Questions
I already filed. What now?
Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again. Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval; once it does, the payment status page shows what is known.