Scammers love money transfers. Once a victim wires cash to a “grandson in jail,” a “government agent,” or a “lottery official,” the money is usually gone within minutes. Two federal programs are now trying to get some of that money back, and one of them has a deadline coming up fast.

On October 15, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission announced it is sending more than $9.8 million to 65,022 people harmed by Walmart’s alleged failure to stop scammers who used the company’s in-store money transfer services. A week earlier, on October 7, the U.S. Department of Justice opened the third and final phase of its Western Union fraud-victim compensation program. That program accepts petitions until December 31, 2026.

The Walmart refunds: what happened

In June 2022, the FTC sued Walmart in federal court in Illinois. The complaint alleged that between 2013 and 2018, Walmart, which offers money transfers as an agent of MoneyGram, Western Union and Ria, let scammers use those services to take hundreds of millions of dollars from consumers. The FTC said Walmart failed to put effective anti-fraud procedures in place, didn’t properly train its employees, and failed to warn customers about money transfer fraud.

Walmart did not admit wrongdoing. In June 2025 it agreed to a court order that imposed a $10 million judgment and required it to take timely, appropriate steps to detect and prevent fraud-induced money transfers. The order also bars Walmart from sending or paying out a transfer it knows, or consciously avoids knowing, was induced by fraud.

That $10 million is now being paid out. According to the FTC’s refund page:

• Who gets a check: people who completed eligible money transfers at Walmart between January 2015 and December 2024.
• No claim form: the FTC is mailing checks directly. You don’t need to apply.
• Cash it within 90 days. The deadline is printed on the check.
• Questions: call the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 1-833-472-1990.

The FTC hasn’t announced a set amount per person. The amount you receive will be printed on your check.

The Western Union program: one last chance to file

The Western Union program comes from a separate, older case. In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department and agreed to forfeit $586 million. According to the DOJ, some Western Union agents were complicit in fraud schemes, and the company failed to suspend or terminate them. DOJ has already paid more than $436.9 million to more than 180,000 victims. Because money is still left over, it has reopened the program to victims who never filed a petition.

• Who can file: fraud victims who sent a money transfer through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and March 9, 2020.
• Deadline: petitions must be filed online or postmarked by December 31, 2026. DOJ calls this the final phase.
• How: file at westernunionremissionphase3.com or call 1-833-419-4677. Include any receipts or records of the transfers you have.
• No fee: DOJ says neither it nor the administrator, Verita Global, will ever ask you to pay to participate.

DOJ’s announcement describes the scams it had in mind, several aimed at seniors: grandparent scams (a caller poses as a relative who needs money right away), lottery and sweepstakes scams (you “won,” but have to pay taxes or fees first), and romance scams (an online love interest who needs money for a visit or an emergency).

Why this matters

Both cases rest on the same idea: a company that moves money for the public is expected to watch for fraud, train its staff and warn customers, not just process every transfer. That is a theme we see across consumer law, from banks that ignore red flags on an elderly customer’s account to payment processors that keep serving known scammers. It’s also why states are giving banks new tools. In early October, for example, the Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill letting financial institutions pause suspicious transactions when they suspect elder financial exploitation.

These programs only pay back losses tied to transfers made through Walmart and Western Union. They can’t make every victim whole. Still, if you or a parent lost money this way, it’s worth spending a few minutes to check.

How to tell a real refund from a fake one

Refund programs attract their own scammers. The FTC warns that it will never make you pay money, give account information, or transfer funds to “get a refund.” DOJ says the same about the Western Union program. Watch for:

• Anyone who calls, texts or emails to say you’re owed money and asks for a “processing fee,” taxes, gift cards or a wire transfer
• Requests for your bank login, Social Security number or card PIN to “deposit” a refund
• Websites with slightly-off addresses. The only official Walmart refund information is on ftc.gov, and the only Western Union petition site is the one listed in DOJ’s announcement
• Pressure to act today. Real programs give you a check with a 90-day window or a published filing deadline.

What to do now

• Watch your mail. If you made money transfers at Walmart between 2015 and 2024 and were scammed, a check may arrive in an envelope from Rust Consulting. Cash or deposit it within 90 days.
• File for Western Union losses before December 31. If you or a family member sent money to a scammer through Western Union between 2004 and March 2020, file a petition even if you no longer have every receipt. Bank statements, notes and old emails can help.
• Check on older relatives. Many victims are seniors who may be embarrassed to talk about it. Help them look for old transfer receipts and file.
• Report new scams. Report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. If your bank or a money transfer company ignored obvious warning signs, talk to a consumer protection lawyer about whether you have a claim.
• Don’t pay anyone to file for you. Both programs are free.

Ginsburg Law Group helps consumers and families fight back against fraud, abusive collectors and companies that break consumer protection laws. If you or a loved one lost money to a scam, or someone is now trying to collect on a debt that came out of one, contact us for a review.

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Refund eligibility and amounts are determined by the FTC, the Department of Justice and their administrators, not by our firm. Walmart did not admit wrongdoing in settling the FTC’s case. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.

Authoritative Sources

• FTC: FTC Sends More than $9.8 Million to Consumers Harmed by Walmart’s Failure to Stop Scammers (Oct. 15, 2026)
• FTC: Walmart Refunds (refund program page)
• FTC: Walmart to Pay $10 Million to Settle FTC Allegations (June 2025)
• U.S. Department of Justice: Phase Three of Compensation Process for Western Union Fraud Victims (Oct. 7, 2026)
• Western Union Remission Phase 3 (official petition site)
• FTC: Refund Programs Frequently Asked Questions
• FTC Consumer Alert: Did someone tell you to move or transfer your money? It could be a scam