Fraud Resource center

Q: What happens after I file a fraud claim?

After you file a fraud claim , our fraud department will review your claim. If required, our team will contact you for more information. Depending on the transfer status, we may refund your transfer. You will receive an email from us with the status of your claim request. It is important to remember that Western Union cannot catch the scammers. We cooperate with law enforcement agencies to help in the investigation and prosecution of people who take advantage of our services to commit fraud.

Q: Will I receive a refund on my money transfer?

If you believe your transfer was sent to the wrong person, call our Customer Care immediately to cancel it. If your transfer is not picked up, sent or deposited you’ll get a full refund on the transfer.

Q: What is Western Union doing to prevent fraud?

We’re letting people know about fraud through different channels, offering tips and resources to our customers, and investing in technology to help us better protect against fraud. When fraud is reported, we support law enforcement agencies with all the information they need to investigate the scam.

Q: What should I do if I receive a suspicious email asking to send a transfer using Western Union?

Please forward us the email as is at spoof@westernunion.com . Note that this does not mean a fraud claim has been filed. To report a scam, you must file a fraud claim online or call our fraud hotline .

Protect yourself from fraud

Only use Western Union to send money to your friends and family.

If someone you haven’t met in person asks you to send a money transfer, do not respond to them. Use strong passwords and do not open random links. Keep your personal information to yourself.

Note: After a transfer is sent or deposited, Western Union may not be able to give you a refund. If the money hasn’t been sent or deposited, you can let us know by filling a fraud claim.

If a scammer has asked you to send money using Western Union services, call our Fraud Hotline to report it.

Be cautious if someone suddenly appears out of nowhere and asks you to send money for any of the following situations:

Emergency

Anti-virus protection

Online purchase

Rental property payment or deposit

Mystery shopping

Charity donation

Pay taxes

Credit card or loan fee

Lottery or prize winnings

Employment opportunities

Immigration resolutions

Telemarketing solicitations

Don’t let fraud go unnoticed

When you report fraud, you help reduce the chances of someone else getting scammed. It also helps law enforcement agencies identify and prevent scams.

If you believe you’ve encountered fraud, we encourage you to contact local law enforcement and other consumer protection resources.

Reporting fraud is essential. It helps educate consumers and provides authorities with information about current scams. While we collaborate with police organizations globally, our role isn’t law enforcement. We cooperate with agencies to support investigations and prosecutions of those misusing our services.

Things to know

How do I identify a scam?

Scams don’t always occur in a certain way. But they do have a pattern that you can look out for to avoid and prevent it:

A scammer will ask you to send money by pretending that there is an emergency. If you haven’t met that individual in person, it’s best not to send them a money transfer.
If your passwords are easy to guess or are accessible, scammers can hack into your accounts. Use strong passwords and don’t share them with anyone.
Scammers use emails, social media, text messages, and phone calls to get your attention. Usually, their messages have incorrect grammar and misspellings in body of the message or the email addresses . Before responding, please check for typos and grammatical errors.

What happens after I file a fraud claim?

Will I receive a refund on my money transfer?

What is Western Union doing to prevent fraud?

What should I do if I receive a suspicious email asking to send a transfer using Western Union?

Stay informed

Follow us on social media to stay updated on the latest scams and how to protect yourself. Together, let’s #BeFraudSmart!

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