Knowledge Center
Knowledge Can Protect You
You work hard for your money and you want a company you can rely on when it comes to sending your money to friends and family. That’s why we want to help you protect yourself from fraud. In this section, you’ll find informative tips and other useful material to stay informed and help reduce your chances of falling victim to scammers.
Money transfer never-evers
Lower your chances of falling victim to fraud by checking out these eight
things you should never do when using a money transfer service.
- Never send money to people you haven't met in person.
- Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on lottery or prize winnings.
- Never use a test question as an additional security measure to protect your transaction.
- Never provide your banking information to people or businesses you don’t know.
- Never send money in advance to obtain a loan or credit card.
- Never send money for an emergency situation without verifying that it’s a real emergency.
- Never send funds from a check in your account until it officially clears—which can take weeks.
- Never send a money transfer for online purchases.
Learn more about different scam types
Fraud Awareness Brochures
You can learn more about how to help protect yourself from fraud by reviewing our fraud awareness brochures. Download and share them by email with friends and family.
Get tips on how to help protect yourself from fraud and our fraud hotline number to report if you have been a victim of fraud.
Download a pdf version of the Germany Fraud Awareness brochure [German]
Download a pdf version of the International Fraud Awareness brochure [English]
Send-form Warning for Consumers
Read the fraud warnings and tips on the forms you fill out when sending money using our service.
Protect Yourself from Fraud
If you’ve been asked to send money for any of the reasons below, please don’t. You may be the victim of fraud.
Don’t send money to an individual:
- Whom you haven’t met in person.
- For a purchase made online.
- For anti-virus protection or an anti-virus refund.
- For an unconfirmed emergency situation.
- For a rental property deposit or payment.
- To claim lottery or prize winnings.
- For a charity donation.
- For a mystery shopping assignment.
- For an employment opportunity.
- For a credit card or loan fee.
Money transfers can be paid to the receiver quickly. After the money is paid, Western Union generally can’t provide a refund -- even if it ends up being a scam. If you suspect fraud on a money transfer you have already sent, call us at 0800 4044014 and if your money has not been picked up, it will be returned to you.
Think you've been scammed?
Report it. You can help us and, in the process, help others from getting scammed in the future.
Call our Fraud Hotline at
800 789 124
(Mo-Fr from 8.00 to 17.00 h)
Forward suspicious emails to spoof@westernunion.com
WU Facebook
@WUStopFraud