Closed to new claimsConsumer fraudWestern Union Remission Payout Status: Phase 3 Petitions Closed August 19, 2026
Last updated: August 26, 2026
The Phase 3 petition deadline passed on August 19, 2026. Petitions had to be submitted online or postmarked by that date, and there is no late-filing route — this is a Justice Department remission program, not a class action, so no claims administrator can accept a petition after the window closes.
What happens now is review, not payment. The Justice Department decides each petition on the documented loss, and approved payments are issued by check to the address on the petition. No distribution date has been published for Phase 3.
Phase 3 covered fraud-induced transfers sent between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020 — a window the DOJ extended specifically to reach victims whose transfers fell after the original program's cut-off. The money comes from the $586 million Western Union forfeited in its 2017 deferred prosecution agreement, a fund that had already compensated more than 175,000 victims at full loss recovery in the earlier phases.
The underlying finding was that Western Union failed to maintain effective anti-fraud controls, which let scammers use its money transfer service for international fraud schemes affecting thousands of consumers. Unlike a class action, a remission pays what you actually lost rather than a pro-rata share of a fund.
If you filed a Phase 3 petition and your address changes, contact the administrator, Verita Global, at 1-866-381-9100. An approved check sent to a stale address is the most common way remission money goes unclaimed.
Key facts
- Total fund
- $586,000,000 (DOJ forfeiture)
- Estimated payout
- Up to the full amount lost in eligible transfers
- Petition deadline
- Closed August 19, 2026
- Proof required
- Yes — transfer records or fraud details
- Who qualifies
- Fraud-induced transfers between Jan 1, 2004 and Mar 9, 2020
- Administered by
- Verita Global for the DOJ, 1-866-381-9100
- Eligible transfer window
- January 1, 2004 – March 9, 2020
- Paid in earlier phases
- More than 175,000 victims, at full loss recovery
- Payment method
- Check to the address on the petition
- Late filing
- Not possible — no administrator can accept one
Official settlement administrator: westernunionremissionphase3.com
Who qualifies
- You sent money through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020, and
- You lost that money because the transfer was part of a scam or fraud scheme (for example, a romance scam, lottery scam, grandparent scam, or fake online purchase).
Where the Western Union remission stands now
- 1
Check whether you received a prefilled petition
Known victims were mailed prefilled petitions. If yours lists the correct amount, check the box, complete the Social Security Number section, sign, date, and return it.
- 2
Gather your transfer records
The strongest support is your Western Union send form and receipt, or the money transfer control number (MTCN). If you don't have those, any documentation of the transfer and details of the fraud helps.
- 3
August 19, 2026 — the petition window closed
Petitions had to be submitted online at the administrator's portal or postmarked by August 19, 2026, mailed to United States v. The Western Union Company Phase 3, P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132. Email submissions were never valid. There is no late-filing route.
- 4
Now — review, then checks
The Justice Department reviews each petition against the documented loss and approves an amount. Approved payments are issued by check to the address on the petition. No distribution date has been published for Phase 3, and remission review across a fund of this size historically takes many months.
- 5
If you filed, keep your address current
Contact Verita Global at 1-866-381-9100 if your mailing address changes. Because payment is by physical check and the review period is long, a stale address is the single most likely reason an approved remission payment never arrives.
- 6
If you missed it — let ClaimBee watch for the next one
Remission programs reopen: this was Phase 3, following two earlier rounds that paid more than 175,000 victims. ClaimBee keeps your filing details saved and alerts you when a new program or settlement you qualify for opens.
Missed this one? Don't miss the next.
ClaimBee matches your profile against 2,000+ active settlements, shows payout and proof requirements up front, and tracks every deadline for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much will the Western Union remission pay me?
Up to the full amount you lost in eligible fraud-induced transfers, depending on validated losses across all petitions. This remission pays actual losses, not a flat per-person amount.
Can I still file a Western Union remission petition?
No. The Phase 3 petition deadline passed on August 19, 2026, and petitions had to be submitted online or postmarked by that date. Because this is a Justice Department remission rather than a class action settlement, there is no administrator with discretion to accept a late petition.
Which scams count for the Western Union refund?
Any fraud scheme where you were deceived into sending money by Western Union transfer between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020 — including romance scams, lottery and prize scams, family emergency scams, and fake purchases.
I don't have my Western Union receipt anymore. Can I still file?
Yes. The money transfer control number is ideal, but the administrator accepts other available documentation, such as customer receipts or records describing the transfer and the fraud.
How will I be paid if my petition is approved?
Approved remission payments are issued by check to the address on your petition. If your address has changed since you filed, contact the administrator, Verita Global, at 1-866-381-9100 — an approved check sent to a stale address is the most common reason remission money goes unclaimed.
When will Western Union Phase 3 payments be sent?
No date has been published. The Justice Department reviews each petition against the documented loss before approving an amount, and Phase 3 petitions only closed on August 19, 2026. The earlier phases of this $586 million fund paid more than 175,000 victims at full loss recovery, so full-loss payment is the precedent — but the timing is not announced in advance.
Sources and official records
Every figure and date on this page was taken from the primary records below — court dockets, agency releases, and the settlement administrator's own notices. Payout averages we describe as averages are calculated from the official totals, not reported per-person estimates.
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