Have you wired money to a scammer? Here’s how to get some of it back

South Carolina consumers who were defrauded by scammers through Western Union could soon be compensated for their loss.

S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office announced Thursday that Western Union had reached a settlement of $586 million with the attorneys general of all 50 states. The settlement is the result of an investigation that looked into complaints from consumers who were defrauded through wire transfer services.

Through the investigation, Western Union was accused of knowingly allowing scammers to use the company’s money transfer system, despite having received “hundreds of thousands of complains about fraud-induced money transfers made for fraudulent lottery and prizes, family emergencies, advance-fee loans, online dating and other scams.”

The settlement requires Western Union develop an anti-fraud program that would help detect and prevent would-be money transfer services users from wiring money to scammers.

South Carolinians who were deceived into wiring money to con-artists between January 2004 and Jan. 19, 2017, can apply for compensation through the Federal Trade Commission’s website before Feb. 12.

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 2:14 PM with the headline "Have you wired money to a scammer? Here’s how to get some of it back."