‘Twas the Night Before Christmas…And I Almost Got Scammed

MoneyGram International, Inc. (NYSE: MGI):

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when I soon realized,
An email appeared saying I’d won a prize.
The address seemed valid so I continued to read,
The instructions were clear and so I agreed.

In order to get my new glamorous gift,
I had to wire the money it would cost them to ship.
So I entered in all of the info required,
Knowing I’d soon get the prize I desired.

When suddenly, in my head, I knew something was wrong,
I sprang from the table and found out before long.
Away to the telephone I flew like a flash,
Calling for help, I was being scammed out of cash.

"Now, hear me! Now, hear me! I need help right away!
This fraudster just scammed me and the money is half way!
Run to the system, go stop my transaction,
I can’t believe I fell for this ridiculous action!"

He spoke not a word, as he went straight to work,
And halted the transfer to that tricky jerk.
As I hung up the phone I thanked him with grace,
For going in after my money fast paced!

He sprang to my rescue and said through his lips,
Advice to be cautious with my fingertips.
But I heard him exclaim, as his voice faded fast,
"Happy Christmas to all, don’t let fraudsters get past!”

According to MoneyGram, a leading global payment services company, consumers should maintain extra caution during the holiday season when faced with possible scams that require money transfers. As part of MoneyGram’s continuing efforts to help consumers stay protected from wire fraud, the company recommends keeping three key tips in mind before initiating a money transfer:

• Know – Always know the person to whom you are sending money. Never send money to strangers.
• Show – Never show or share information about your money transfer to anyone but the recipient.
• Throw – Discard or throw away any offers that promise easy ways to earn money, especially if the offers require you to send money before earning money.

Consumers who suspect fraud associated with money transfers should contact their local law enforcement. Consumers should call 1-800-MONEYGRAM (800-666-3947) if they believe MoneyGram was used to wire money as a result of a scam.

About MoneyGram International
MoneyGram International, Inc. (NYSE: MGI) is a leading global payment services company. The Company provides consumers with an efficient and secure way to send and receive money globally, make urgent bill payments and purchase money orders. MoneyGram's products and services are conveniently available through more than 256,000 agent locations in 192 countries and territories. Certain products and services are also available online. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.moneygram.com or connect with us on Facebook.