Western Union remission is open again: the Justice Department said on October 7, 2026 that it has started the third and final phase of paying back people who were scammed into sending money through Western Union. If you sent a fraud-induced Western Union transfer between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020 and never filed a petition, you can file one until December 31, 2026, and filing is free.

What the Justice Department announced

In its October 7 release, the Department of Justice says Western Union agreed in 2017 to forfeit $586 million under a deferred prosecution agreement. More than $436.9 million has already gone to more than 180,000 victims in the first two phases. Because forfeited money is still left, the department has reopened the petition process to people who did not file before.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, quoted in the same release, describes this phase as “this additional $3.4 million in remission to 1,294 victims and the opening of the Victim Portal.”

Who can file

The remission administrator’s FAQ says you may be eligible if you sent a money transfer through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020 and were the victim of fraud. Transfers made both within and outside the United States can qualify, as long as they were part of the fraud scheme.

The scams named in the case are the ones the DOJ release describes: the grandparent scam (a caller posing as a relative who needs money fast), lottery or sweepstakes scams (a “prize” that needs fees or taxes paid first) and romance scams (an online love interest asking for money). The administrator’s site also mentions fraudsters who promised job opportunities.

Other points from the FAQ:

  • You do not have to be a U.S. citizen or live in the United States to file.
  • The earlier phases covered transfers only up to January 19, 2017. People whose earlier petitions were denied only because their transfers fell after that date were sent grant letters on May 21, 2026 and do not need to file again.
  • If you were already paid in phase 1 or 2, you can file only for transfers you did not claim before.
  • A petition can be filed for someone who has died, in the deceased person’s name, with proof of death and of your role for the estate.

How to file before December 31

The DOJ release points to one website, westernunionremissionphase3.com, and one phone number, 1-833-419-4677. The administrator is Verita Global LLC (formerly Gilardi & Co. LLC).

  1. File online or by mail. If you received a letter with a PIN and Claim ID, use them on the website. Without a letter, you can file online or print the blank form from the site’s Case Documents tab and mail it to: United States v. The Western Union Company Phase 3, PO Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132. Petitions cannot be sent by email.
  2. Meet the date. The administrator’s site says petitions must be submitted online or postmarked on or before December 31, 2026. Mail postmarked later is accepted only at the Justice Department’s discretion. Some older text on the site still mentions August 19, 2026; that deadline was extended on August 5.
  3. Add what records you have. Each transfer has a 10-digit Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) on the printed receipt or the confirmation email. The FAQ says Western Union keeps records for 10 years and has a transaction history request form for copies; for older transfers, send whatever receipts you still have. Send copies, never originals.
  4. Have your SSN or ITIN ready. Approved payments go through the Treasury Offset Program, so a federal or certain state debt is taken out first. Petitioners without either number tick “I am not a U.S. Citizen.”

What you can get back

The FAQ says the payment is based only on the amount of the money transfers, minus any refund you already received. Western Union fees, other incidental losses and money sent through other companies are not covered. The Justice Department decides each petition by comparing it with Western Union’s records, and the administrator gives no date for payments.

No Form 1099 comes with the payment. The administrator says it cannot give tax advice and suggests a tax professional for questions about how the payment is treated.

The fee request is the scam

“Neither the Remission Administrator nor the Department of Justice will ask for any payment to participate in this remission process,” the DOJ release says. It adds that real communications come only from the administrator or from government representatives you have already dealt with. The FAQ also says you do not need a lawyer to file.

That matters because people who already lost money are a target for “recovery” offers. The FBI’s IC3 warning describes scammers posing as FBI staff, using AI-generated videos and spoofed complaint sites, to reach people who were defrauded before. Anyone who calls, texts or messages you offering to file a Western Union claim or speed up a payment for a fee is not part of this process. Type the remission site’s address yourself. Our guide to crypto recovery scams shows how these second-round cons work, and more guides sit in Scams and safety.

Questions about Western Union remission

What is the Western Union remission deadline?

Western Union remission petitions must be submitted online or postmarked on or before December 31, 2026, according to the administrator’s website. The DOJ’s October 7 release gives the same Dec. 31 date.

Does it cost anything to file a Western Union remission petition?

No. The Justice Department says neither it nor the remission administrator will ask for any payment, and you do not need a lawyer to file.

Which transfers count for Western Union remission?

Western Union transfers sent between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020 as part of a fraud, such as grandparent, lottery or romance scams. Fees and money sent through other companies are not refunded.

I already got a Western Union remission check. Can I file again?

Only for additional Western Union transfers from the eligible period that you did not claim before, according to the administrator’s FAQ.

How we checked this

The dates, amounts, eligibility rules and filing steps come from the Justice Department’s October 7, 2026 release and the remission administrator’s website and FAQ; the impersonation warning comes from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Facts checked October 10, 2026.

Sources