Have you used MoneyGram to send money to a scammer between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017?  If you have, then you may be eligible to file a claim for a refund. The company handling claims — Gilardi & Co. LLC — is distributing $125 million from MoneyGram’s 2018 settlements with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ).  The settlement was based on charges that MoneyGram failed to meet agreements to reduce consumer fraud involving money transfers.

You are eligible to file a claim if:

• you sent a MoneyGram transfer to a scammer from the United States between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017, and

• you used your name on the money transfer.

The deadline to file a claim online or by mail is August 31, 2021.

You can either file a claim online to:

-MoneyGramRemission.com or

-Print and mail the claim found at: petition_form.pdf

You need to mail it in with copies of MoneyGram receipts, “send” forms, and transaction history reports because you have to give a MoneyGram money transfer control number, an eight-digit number assigned to a MoneyGram transfer; It’s listed on MoneyGram receipts and completed “send” forms.  In addition, the claim form requires you to give your Social Security number. That is because the federal Treasury Offset Program must find out whether you owe money to the US government before you can get a payment. It needs your SSN to do that.

You do not have to be a US citizen or in the US to file a claim. If you already filed your claim with Gilardi & Co. LLC, you do not need to file another claim. You do not have to pay fees to file your claim. You do not need a lawyer to file a claim. Do not pay anyone who contacts you and says they will help you file a claim or get your money back.

AUTHOR: CECILLE DOAN, STAFF ATTORNEY FOR THE CENTER FOR ARKANSAS LEGAL SERVICES