Consumer complaint received 2022-01-16 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — International money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: WESTERN UNION COMPANY, THE
State: NV

Complaint narrative:
I was misled by a friends XXXX XXXX account ( which I had no clue it was her XXXX account until she recently posted on XXXX it was a XXXX  account ) on how she experienced receiving government bail out funds and received a check. I decided to give it a try. She informed me that I need to be referred to a XXXX representative in order for me to qualify. She said XXXX contact the representative regarding the referral and gave me the phone number of the representative for FGGD Bail Out Funds. I texted XXXX XXXX. He requested for my identity including a picture of my ID, SS # and XXXX profile. He said I qualified for the program and to choose wisely on the amount due to the delivery fees. I chose $ XXXX which was {$1300.00} in delivery fees. I paid it upfront in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX location to XXXX, XXXX. He said your delivery should be in tact. On the day of the check delivery, he texted me and told me the delivery was delayed due to the taxes of $ XXXX which is ( 5 % of the $ XXXX ) needs to be paid prior to delivery according to state law. So I was given the run around to send $ XXXX XXXX XXXX again to erroneous people in XXXX, XXXX. At this point, the tracking was put on hold in Arizona according to the tracking number he provided. I questioned it again on why its on hold and he informed $ XXXX must be paid for insurance fee due to complaints of missing checks. So I paid $ XXXX through my bank and wired the funds to XXXX, XXXX. He confirmed it was received. I then get an email from a FGGD representative stating due to the delivery situation that I went through, my funds were upgraded to $ XXXX and fees of of $ XXXX is required for the check delivery. Mind you, I didnt request for an upgrade which I was very upset with XXXX XXXX XXXX and he advised theres nothing he can do and is unable to refund me all of the funds Ive invested. I have all of the receipts as my proof of funds sent. 

My friend posted on XXXX today XX/XX/19 that she was hacked and XXXX XXXX XXXX is fraudulent and does not work for the Federal Government Grant Department ( FGGD ). Its a scam. Delete his phone number XXXX and XXXX. 

XX/XX/19 Western Union Fraud Department Spoke with XXXX operator XXXX Case # XXXX New tracking # XXXX in replace of tracking # XXXX from XX/XX/19 XXXX XXXX XXXX Western Union Fraud Hotline Tracking numbers and details for every transaction. 
A report will be filed for every transaction. 

XX/XX/19 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX No XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX {$650.00} XX/XX/19 XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$650.00} XX/XX/19 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$750.00} XX/XX/19 XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX No XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX {$750.00} XX/XX/19 XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX {$750.00} XX/XX/19 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX No XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX {$750.00} Total {$4300.00} paid

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation