NH settles multi-state settlement with MoneyGram

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CONCORD, NH — Attorney General Joseph A. Foster today announced a settlement with Dallas based MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc. resolving a multi-state investigation, which focused on complaints of consumers who used MoneyGram’s wire transfer service to send money to third-parties involved in schemes to defraud consumers.

In addition to New Hampshire, 48 states and the District of Columbia participated in this settlement.

“Con artists use a wide variety of schemes to persuade consumers to wire them money,” said Attorney General Foster. “These range from the heartless ‘grandparent or relative in distress’ scam, in which a fraudster contacts a grandparent and falsely claims that money must be wired to assist with a grandchild’s medical or legal emergency, to lottery and contest scams, in which consumers are told they have won a large sum of money but must first send money to pay required taxes or fees before receiving their winnings.”

Awareness is key for consumers, Foster said.

“Consumers who receive solicitations from strangers promising big winnings should toss those letters in the trash, delete the e-mail, or hang up the phone,” Foster said. “And consumers who are contacted about a grandchild, friend, or family member in distress should reach out separately to the friend or family members to independently verify that the relative is actually in need of the assistance.”

The settlement has two main components: First, MoneyGram has agreed to maintain and continue to improve an anti-fraud program designed to help detect and prevent consumers from suffering financial losses as a result of these types of fraud induced wire transfers. The program must be documented in writing, and at a minimum must include the following elements:

• mandatory and documented compliance training for agents, and guidelines regarding when an agent’s conduct warrants suspension or termination;

• suspension or termination of agents who fail to take commercially reasonable steps to reduce fraud induced money transfers;

• a hotline system—telephonic and electronic—where employees and agents can report noncompliance with anti-fraud measures;

• sound mechanisms to evaluate actual fraud rates and consumer losses from fraud induced money transfers in order to utilize that information to improve compliance; and

• continued enhancement of technology solutions, including its Anti-Fraud Alert System (AFAS).

Second: MoneyGram has agreed to pay a total of $13 million to the states to fund a nationwide consumer restitution program and for the states’ costs and fees. The settlement provides for an independent third-party settlement administrator who will review MoneyGram records and send notices regarding restitution to all consumers who are eligible to receive restitution under this settlement. Generally, consumers who are eligible for restitution previously filed complaints with MoneyGram between July 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009 regarding fraud-induced transfers sent from the U.S. to foreign countries other than Canada.

In addition to restitution for eligible consumers, New Hampshire will also receive $20,000 to use for future consumer protection efforts.

New Hampshire consumers with questions about this or other consumer-related matters can call the Attorney General’s Consumer Information line at 1-888-468-4454. Consumer complaint forms are available here.

In addition, more information about this settlement is available here.

About this Author

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!