{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-25/walmart-ftc-money-transfer-refund-checks","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-25/walmart-ftc-money-transfer-refund-checks.md","title":"Walmart Mails $10 Million in FTC Scam Refund Checks","headline":"FTC Sends 65,022 Checks Worth Nearly $10 Million to Walmart Money-Transfer Customers","description":"The FTC is mailing 65,022 checks totaling nearly $10 million to Walmart money-transfer customers, with 90 days to cash them under a July 2025 settlement.","section":"Legal & Disputes","published_at":"2026-10-25T06:32:46+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-25T06:32:46+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["The FTC is sending 65,022 checks totaling nearly $10 million to Walmart money-transfer customers.","Recipients made qualifying transfers between January 2015 and December 2024 and have 90 days to cash the checks.","A unanimous 3-0 Commission vote approved a final order barring Walmart from offering wire transfers without anti-fraud measures in place."],"companies":[{"name":"Walmart","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00003tv/walmart","website":"http://www.walmart.com"},{"name":"Ria","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00061vc/ria","website":"https://in.riafinancial.com/home"},{"name":"MoneyGram International","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000jx1/moneygram-international","website":"http://www.moneygram.com/intl"}],"source":{"publisher":"The Cool Down","title":"FTC is mailing over 65,000 checks after Walmart failed to stop money-transfer scammers","url":"https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/walmart-money-transfer-refunds-ftc-settlement/"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Legal & Disputes","Walmart","Ria","MoneyGram International"],"body_markdown":"The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 65,022 checks totaling nearly $10 million to [Walmart](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00003tv/walmart) shoppers who used the retailer's money-transfer services, after regulators said the company failed to stop scammers. [The Cool Down](https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/walmart-money-transfer-refunds-ftc-settlement/) reported the payments stem from a settlement over claims Walmart did not implement effective anti-fraud policies.\n\n## Walmart's Money-Transfer Settlement and the FTC Order\n\nThe FTC said all 65,022 recipients made qualifying money transfers between January 2015 and December 2024, and that people have 90 days to cash the checks. In its complaint, the agency said 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](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000jx1/moneygram-international), Western Union, and [Ria](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00061vc/ria), allowing fraud-induced transactions to go through between 2013 and 2018.\n\nFTC scrutiny of Walmart became 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, while the broader fraud allegations remained. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Walmart to appeal parts of the district court's rulings on the core fraud claims in November 2024, and Walmart settled with the FTC in July 2025. Ria Money Transfer is expanding its outbound service in the Philippines through M Lhuillier Financial Services, available at over 3,000 branches, Fintech News Philippines reported.\n\n## Walmart's Scale Behind the Refund Program\n\nWalmart is the world's largest retailer, operating about 4,600 U.S. stores and serving 150 million weekly shoppers across 34 countries, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records put FY2026 revenue at approximately $713.2 billion, up 4.7% year over year, and U.S. grocery market share at 20.3%, ahead of Kroger at 8.7% and Costco at 8.3%. Walmart employs 2.1 million workers globally, including 1.6 million associates in the U.S.\n\n## Walmart's Leadership Changes Before the Settlement\n\nJohn Furner succeeded Doug McMillon as CEO on January 16, 2026, the first Walmart CEO transition in over a decade, according to akta.pro company records. Kyle Kinnard was appointed COO of Walmart U.S. in July 2026, replacing 29-year veteran Kieran Shanahan, while Juan Galarraga was named EVP and Regional GM of Latin America. Walmart acquired Vibe in June 2026 for an undisclosed amount.\n\n## What the FTC Order Requires Next\n\nIn a unanimous 3-0 vote, the Commission approved a final order that imposes new anti-fraud requirements on Walmart. Under the order, Walmart cannot offer wire transfer services unless it has measures in place to detect and prevent fraud, and it cannot process transfers when it knows, or deliberately avoids knowing, that the transactions are connected to fraud. The order also bars Walmart from supporting telemarketers who use cash-to-cash transfers for payments and from assisting telemarketers who request upfront payments for loans or credit offers.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}