The Federal Trade Commission is distributing 65,022 refund checks totaling nearly $10 million to shoppers who lost money through transfers facilitated by Walmart, the agency said in a press release on Oct. 25, 2026. The payments arise from a settlement resolving the FTC’s claims that Walmart did not do enough to stop scammers from using the retailer’s money‑transfer services.
Who is eligible and how long customers have to claim
The FTC said every person who gets a check made a qualifying money transfer between Jan. 2015 and Dec. 2024. Recipients have 90 days to cash the refunds, according to the agency.
What the complaint says
In its complaint, the FTC alleged Walmart allowed fraudulent transfers to proceed through multiple transfer options, including Walmart’s own services and those offered with MoneyGram, Western Union and Ria. Regulators said the alleged failures enabling fraud occurred between 2013 and 2018.
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,” the agency wrote.
The agency said those shortcomings left consumers vulnerable to scams that used wire transfers to take money before victims realized they were targeted.
Regulatory timeline and enforcement terms
FTC scrutiny of Walmart’s money‑transfer operations stretched over several years. The agency filed a formal complaint in June 2022 and expanded the case in 2023 to include alleged violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule. A federal district court dismissed the telemarketing‑related claims in July 2024, while the core fraud allegations remained. The Seventh Circuit allowed an appeal of parts of the district court’s rulings in November 2024. Walmart reached a settlement with the FTC in July 2025.
The Commission voted unanimously, 3‑0, to approve a final order that requires Walmart to adopt new anti‑fraud procedures, the FTC said.
- Checks mailed: 65,022
- Total payout: nearly $10 million
- Qualifying transfer dates: Jan. 2015–Dec. 2024
- Alleged period of failures: 2013–2018 (per FTC complaint)
- Cash deadline: 90 days from mailing (per FTC)
The FTC’s action underscores regulators’ focus on retail and partner money‑transfer networks as conduits for fraud. The agency described the refunds and the order as remedies to protect consumers and to compel stronger anti‑fraud controls at a major national retailer.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of checks | 65,022 |
| Total payout | Nearly $10 million |
| Qualifying transfer window | Jan. 2015–Dec. 2024 |
The FTC’s release did not say how much each check is worth or list additional relief for specific consumers. The agency’s complaint and the final order, as summarized by KNWA, describe operational deficiencies the FTC says Walmart must correct going forward.
