Anti-scammy Sammy

There’s former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, NFL legend Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, and the incomparable Sammy Davis, Jr. All notable in their own right, but did they win back $586 million for defrauded consumers? We didn’t think so. That’s why we have another pick for the Sammy Hall of Fame.

FTC attorney Karen Dodge and FTC Midwest Region team members Joannie Wei, Elizabeth Scott, and Doug McKenney were just honored with Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, also know as Sammies, for negotiating the historic $586 million settlement with Western Union. Thanks to the work of the team and other FTC colleagues – and in cooperation with staffers from the Department of Justice – hundreds of thousands of consumers who lost money through fraud-induced money transfers will be getting refunds.

The FTC alleged that Western Union facilitated consumer fraud through its global money transfer system. According to the complaint, the company was aware that fraud was afoot, but looked the other way and profited from the wrongdoing of scammers, including some of its own agents. In addition to negotiating $586 million in consumer refunds, the team reached a groundbreaking settlement that will change how Western Union does business.

The Service to America Medals were created in 2002 by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service. Among the highest honors a federal employee can receive, the Sammies acknowledge excellence in government. Karen and the Midwest Region team were the winners in the Homeland Security and Law Enforcement category.

Congratulations to our FTC colleagues.