A common way for people involved in phone fraud is to have victims wire them money using Western Union.
Following a lengthy investigation by authorities in the United States, the company has admitted to aiding an abetting wire fraud and has agreed to repay $586 million to victims.
“Scammers contacted people and promised prizes, loans, jobs, discounted products or other financial rewards in exchange for money upfront,” says a release Thursday from the Greater Sudbury Police.
“They also pretended to be family members in need of cash or law enforcement officers demanding payment. The scammers told people to send money through Western Union. No one received the cash, prizes or services they were promised.”
If you sent money to a scammer through Western Union between Jan. 1, 2004 and Jan. 19, 2017, you can submit a claim to be reimbursed. The deadline to file a claim is May 31, 2018.
A wide variety of scams may be covered by this settlement, including:
-- Online or internet scams – you did not receive the items you tried to buy online.
-- Lottery or prize promotion scams – you were told you won a lottery or sweepstakes, but never got the prize.
-- Emergency or grandparent scams – you sent money to someone pretending to be a relative or friend in urgent need of money.
-- Advance-fee loan scams – you paid upfront fees, but did not get the promised loans.
-- Online dating or romance scams – you sent money to someone who created a fake profile on a dating or social networking website.
For more information regarding the claim process and answers to frequently asked questions, visit Federal Trade Commission Western Union Refund website.
