Walmart shoppers targeted through the retailer's money-transfer operations are getting refunds after federal regulators said the company didn't do enough to keep scammers out of the system.
Here's what to know
The Federal Trade Commission announced in a press release it is sending 65,022 checks, with the total payout coming to nearly $10 million.
The FTC said the payments stem from a settlement over claims that Walmart failed to stop scammers from using its wire transfer services to take consumers' money, as KNWA reported. According to the agency, all 65,022 people who received checks made qualifying money transfers between January 2015 and December 2024.
In the FTC's complaint, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer "failed to implement effective anti-fraud policies and procedures, did not properly train its employees and failed to warn customers about potential fraud related to money transfers, according to the complaint."
Regulators said the alleged failures involved both Walmart-run transfer services and those offered with MoneyGram, Western Union, and Ria, allowing fraud-induced transactions to go through between 2013 and 2018.
The FTC said people have 90 days to cash checks.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
More background
FTC scrutiny of Walmart stretched on for years before becoming a formal complaint in June 2022, and the agency expanded the case in 2023 by adding alleged violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
A federal district court dismissed those telemarketing-related claims in July 2024, but the broader fraud allegations remained in the case.
The legal battle continued in November 2024, when the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Walmart to appeal parts of the district court's rulings on the core fraud claims. In July of 2025, Walmart settled with the FTC, as KNWA detailed at the time.
People use money transfers for urgent payments, bills, or support for relatives. Consumers can lose money before realizing they were targeted if employees are not properly trained or suspicious transactions are not flagged.
What's being done?
In a unanimous 3-0 vote, the Commission approved a final order that imposes new anti-fraud requirements on Walmart.
Under the order, KNWA reported Walmart cannot offer wire transfer services unless it has measures in place to detect and prevent fraud. It also cannot process transfers when it knows, or deliberately avoids knowing, that the transactions are connected to fraud.
The order also targets telemarketing-related scams, per the station. Walmart is barred from supporting telemarketers who use cash-to-cash transfers for payments and from assisting telemarketers who request upfront payments for loans or credit offers.
Where can I learn more?
Walmart and major companies have faced consumer complaints or scrutiny over business practices.
• Walmart grocery customers said rotten produce selection left refunds short of fixing the problem.
• A Walmart shopper said the garden center's horrible policy was fueling needless plant waste.
• U.S. and EU officials are weighing new rules to curb greenwashing claims by major companies.
• In Spain, questions grew after solar farms purportedly owned by Amazon appeared not to be.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
