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The Department of Justice has opened the third and final round of its Western Union remission program, giving victims of payment fraud another opportunity to seek compensation. Phase Three began on October 7, 2026, with an initial disbursement and reopens the claims portal for people who sent money through Western Union between January 1, 2004, and March 9, 2020; the deadline to file is December 31, 2026.
Background: a long-running enforcement effort
The payments stem from a 2017 deferred prosecution agreement in which Western Union agreed to forfeit $586 million after admitting violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and to aiding and abetting wire fraud, according to Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission actions described in court filings. Federal prosecutors dismissed the underlying criminal charge in 2020 after the company met the terms of that agreement.
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Court documents and the FTC complaint cited in the settlement say the company logged hundreds of thousands of consumer fraud reports over more than a decade. The FTC’s complaint counted more than 550,000 fraud-related reports that Western Union had recorded between 2004 and 2015, which federal authorities said demonstrated the company repeatedly failed to suspend or remove agents tied to suspicious transfers.
How the scams worked and who was targeted
Federal filings identify three common scam types that drove the bulk of losses and often targeted older Americans: grandparent scams (fraudsters posing as relatives and inventing emergencies), lottery and sweepstakes schemes (demanding advance “taxes” or fees to release winnings), and romance scams (building trust online before requesting money). In each scenario, authorities say certain Western Union agents processed the fraudulent payments and remained in operation despite complaints.
What Phase Three delivers
The DOJ announced on October 7, 2026, that Phase Three opened with a $3.4 million payment to 1,294 additional victims. Across the first two phases and the initial Phase Three disbursement, more than $436.9 million has now been distributed to over 180,000 people, the department said.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the DOJ’s Criminal Division described the program’s aim as “taking the profit out of crime and compensating victims of fraud.” Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Philadelphia Division, whose Harrisburg office led the field investigation, said the agencies’ ongoing work was intended to fulfill a commitment to “ensuring all victims of consumer fraud are protected.” The Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section says it has returned more than $13 billion in forfeited assets to victims nationwide since fiscal year 2000.
How to file a claim
Eligible claimants can submit petitions online or by mail using the forms made available for Phase Three; the program’s published contact number is 1-833-419-4677 for questions and help with filing. All petitions must be received by December 31, 2026; the DOJ says submissions received after that date will not be processed.
Verita Global LLC (formerly Gilardi & Co. LLC) is serving as the remission administrator for Phase Three. Both Verita Global and the DOJ have said participation is free; the administrator and government representatives will not ask claimants to pay fees or provide financial account details as a condition of filing.
Beware of imposters
Authorities warn that the remediation effort has itself attracted scammers impersonating government officials or the remission administrator. The FBI has issued advisories about government-impersonation schemes, and the FTC provides guidance on spotting and reporting such fraud. Anyone receiving unsolicited contacts that demand payment or sensitive personal information in connection with a remission claim should treat the outreach as suspicious and report it to the appropriate agency.
This final claims window gives people who transferred funds through Western Union during the 2004–2020 period one last chance to seek recovery; the DOJ set the firm cutoff of December 31, 2026, for all Phase Three filings.
