This week the ACCC’s Scamwatch has released an article asking all Australians who lost money to scammers who used Western Union to scam people out of money from 2004 to 2017 to take action.

“Scamwatch hears heartbreaking stories on a daily basis from Australians who have lost money to scammers by wiring funds through Western Union. Over $5 million is reported lost each year to these scams but this is just the tip of the iceberg as many victims don’t contact us,” ACCC Acting Chair Michael Schaper said.

“The sad reality is that in most cases, once you have fallen victim to a scammer, the money is gone – and there’s nothing you can do to get it back. For people who have wired money via Western Union from 2004 until 2017, this may be your chance to recover some of it. There are no guarantees but we strongly encourage you to try by 12 February.”

  • Transfers made between 1 January 2004 and 19 January 2017 may be eligible.
  • Australian consumers can submit a claim until 12 February 2018

To read the full article, visit Scam Watch