Most Common Western Union Scams & How to Avoid Them
Learn how scammers abuse Western Union to steal money through imposter, emergency, and phishing scams. Protect yourself and your loved ones by spotting red flags, taking proven steps to avoid fraud, and knowing what to do if targeted.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
About this scam type
Impersonation and wire transfer scams involve criminals pretending to be a trusted organization, government agency, or individual to trick victims into sending money, often via Western Union. Scammers create urgency or emotional stories to convince victims to wire funds, knowing these payments are nearly impossible to recover. They often impersonate relatives in trouble, lottery officials, employers, or Western Union itself.
How scammers contact victims
Scammers commonly reach victims by phone, but also use text messages, emails, and social media. They may create urgency over a call, send phishing emails appearing from Western Union, or contact through fraudulent social media profiles. These channels are effective because scams can appear personal, urgent, and difficult to verify in the moment.
Who is most at risk
Older adults, job seekers, online daters, and immigrants are frequent targets for these scams. Scammers prey on trust, unfamiliarity with wire transfers, and emotional vulnerability, making these groups particularly at risk. Families who may be helping seniors manage their finances should be especially cautious.
Understanding the risk level
Falling for a Western Union scam can result in significant financial loss, identity theft, or even becoming unintentionally involved in criminal activity (such as money mule operations). Recovering lost funds is challenging, and victims may also be targeted again by 'recovery scammers.' Prompt action is vital.
Most Common Western Union Scams
How it works: A scammer poses as a utility provider, government official, tech support agent, or even a family friend. They claim you owe money or face arrest, account suspension, or power shutoff unless you pay immediately using Western Union.
Real Example
This is the IRS. You owe back taxes. Pay by Western Union wire transfer now or agents will arrest you today. Common Variation
Hello, we are calling about your utility bill. If you do not wire $500 through Western Union today, your service will be cut off. Red Flag Signs:
- • Asked to send money via Western Union for urgent fees or debts
- • Scare tactics or threats of arrest or service disconnection
- • Generic caller ID or spoofed numbers
How it works: A fraudster pretends to be your grandchild or a relative in trouble. They say there's been an accident or arrest and plead for money to be wired through Western Union, asking you not to tell anyone else.
Real Example
Grandma, I’m in jail in Mexico! I need you to send $2,000 by Western Union right now. Please don’t tell Mom and Dad. Red Flag Signs:
- • Unexpected call about an emergency involving a family member
- • Request for secrecy or pressure not to contact others
- • Insistence on using Western Union specifically
How it works: You receive a phone call, email, or message claiming you’ve won a lottery, sweepstakes, or prize, but must first pay taxes or a processing fee via Western Union to claim your winnings.
Sample Script
Congratulations! You have won $50,000 in our sweepstakes. To receive your prize, please wire $1,000 through Western Union to cover taxes and processing. Red Flag Signs:
- • Asked to pay upfront fees to claim winnings
- • No evidence of entering the contest or sweepstakes
- • Payment requested only by wire transfer or money order
How it works: Scammers send job offers by email or sites like Craigslist, promising easy work or quick money transfer jobs. They mail a check and instruct you to deposit it, then wire a portion of the funds out via Western Union before the check bounces.
Money Mule Variation
We are hiring payment processors. Deposit this check, keep $300 and wire the rest via Western Union. Act now. Red Flag Signs:
- • Offered a job before an interview or background check
- • Asked to transfer money on behalf of someone else
- • Check deposit with request to send money by Western Union immediately
How it works: Phishing emails appear to be from Western Union, warning about suspicious account activity, locked accounts, or needed updates. These fraudulent messages often use subject lines like '***Western Union*** : Updated Profile' or 'Notification From Western Union' and contain harmful links. The goal is to steal login credentials or personal information.
Sample Subject Line
***Western Union*** : Updated Profile Typical Message
Dear Customer, Your account has been limited due to suspicious activity. Click here to verify your information now or your profile will be suspended. Red Flag Signs:
- • Unexpected emails claiming to be from Western Union
- • Links to suspicious or misspelled websites
- • Instructions to reply or confirm sensitive information urgently
Red Flags & Warning Signs
Top 5 Phrases Scammers Use
- 1 "Pay only by Western Union right away"
Scammers pressure you to use wire transfer since it is hard to trace or reverse.
- 2 "Do not tell anyone else about this"
Asking for secrecy prevents you from double-checking the story.
- 3 "You have won a prize, but first you must pay fees"
Real sweepstakes never require pre-payment.
- 4 "There has been suspicious activity on your account"
Creates urgency and fear so you will act without thinking.
- 5 "We need your help moving money"
Scams may recruit you as a 'money mule' for illegal activity.
Scam Warning Signs
- Urgent demand for Western Union wire transferScammers insist only wire transfer is accepted and payment must be sent immediately.
- Requests for secrecyYou are asked not to inform others or check with family or authorities.
- Pressure to act quicklyThreats or emotional pleas discourage careful thinking.
- Requests for personal information in unsolicited emailsPhishing emails ask you to click a link or provide sensitive details.
- Spelling errors or suspicious links in emailsLegitimate companies rarely have obvious language mistakes or odd website addresses.
Legitimate Communications
- Legitimate government agencies never ask for wire transfer paymentsPayments to the IRS or utility companies are never requested by Western Union.
- No legitimate prize requires upfront paymentReal contests do not charge winners fees in advance.
- Western Union does not email links to confirm personal detailsAccount updates are completed securely on the official website.
- Genuine companies provide clear contact info and never ask for secrecyThey encourage you to call their verified customer service to confirm.
- Careful, professional communication with no spelling errorsOfficial messages are well-written and address you by name.
How to Protect Yourself
Follow these proven steps to prevent wire transfer scams involving Western Union. Always double-check before sending money, especially when someone is asking you to act urgently.
- 1. Never Send Money to Unknown People
Only wire money to people you know and trust. Do not send payments to strangers, even if the reason sounds urgent or official.
Double-check requests for money with family members before acting.
- 2. Verify Emergency Stories
If someone claims to be a relative in trouble, independently confirm their location and well-being with other family members.
- 3. Ignore Pressure to Act Quickly
Scammers create urgency to trick you. Pause, take your time, and do not let anyone force you into a quick decision.
- 4. Do Not Respond to Suspicious Emails or Calls
Do not click links or call phone numbers in emails that claim to be from Western Union. Instead, visit the official website directly or call the real customer service number.
Forward suspicious emails claiming to be from Western Union to [email protected].
- 5. Know How Real Agencies Operate
Remember, government agencies and major companies never demand payment by Western Union or threaten arrest over the phone.
- 6. Review Western Union Security Resources
Visit Western Union’s official Fraud Resource Center for the latest scam alerts and prevention tips. Staying informed is the best way to protect yourself.
Sign up for Lifeguard to receive automatic scam alerts and support for your family’s digital safety.
What to Do If You're a Victim
If you have sent money or given personal details to a scam using Western Union, take action immediately. Fast response can limit damage and help stop the scammers.
- 1. Contact Western Union’s Fraud Hotline (Do immediately)
Call Western Union’s Fraud Hotline at 1-800-448-1492 right away. If your transfer has not been paid out, you may be able to stop it.
- 2. Report to the FTC (Do immediately)
File a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The Federal Trade Commission collects scam reports and can help you take further steps.
- 3. Contact Your Bank or Credit Union (Do immediately)
If you gave out bank details or sent money from an account, notify your bank to flag fraudulent activity and change passwords.
- 4. Report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (Within 24 hours)
Go to https://www.ic3.gov/ and submit a complaint, especially if the scam involved online impersonation, employment, or a money mule scheme.
- 5. Forward Scam Emails to Western Union (Within 24 hours)
Send phishing messages to [email protected]. This helps Western Union investigate.
- 6. Watch for Recovery Scams
After losing money, you might be targeted again by scammers claiming they can recover your loss—for a fee. Legitimate authorities will never ask for payment to help you recover funds.
- 7. Monitor Your Accounts and Credit
Check your transaction history and credit report for suspicious activity for the next several months. Consider signing up for credit monitoring.
For extra support, review the Western Union Fraud Resource Center and stay updated at FTC’s Consumer Advice page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scammers demand money by Western Union because wire transfers are hard to reverse and easy to pick up anonymously. This is why wire transfers are often a sign of a scam.
If your transfer has not yet been paid out, Western Union can sometimes stop the transaction. Act immediately by calling their Fraud Hotline at 1-800-448-1492.
Look for suspicious subject lines, urgent requests, links to fake websites, and poor grammar. Real Western Union messages do not ask for sensitive info by email.
Contact Western Union, report to the FTC, and notify your bank right away. The sooner you act, the better your chances to stop the transfer.
Older adults, immigrants, job seekers, and online daters are common targets. Scammers look for people who may respond to urgent stories or unfamiliar requests.
Do not accept work that involves receiving funds into your account and wiring money out. Job offers promising easy money for transferring funds are almost always scams.
No. Legitimate contests and lotteries never require winners to pay upfront fees, especially by wire transfer. This is a common sign of fraud.
No law enforcement or government agency will ask for payment by wire transfer. Requests like this are always fraudulent.
Forward the suspicious email to [email protected] and do not click any links or open attachments in the message.
Yes, scammers often target victims a second time by promising to recover lost money for a fee. Never pay anyone who says they can recover your loss.