Elder Fraud in Missouri

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins discusses resources and initiatives his office provides to help farmers protect themselves from fraud and scams, emphasizing the importance of awareness as the state experiences favorable weather conditions for crops.

This article announces a free educational seminar featuring AARP educator Dave Sapenaro discussing common scams, fraud tactics, and warning signs, with a focus on how fraudsters build trust and exploit seniors through social media and psychological manipulation. The seminar will include a firsthand account from a family member whose elderly relative fell victim to an elaborate financial exploitation scheme involving psychological manipulation, financial fraud, tax issues, and law enforcement involvement. The event is designed to help attendees recognize scam warning signs and learn protective measures for themselves and their loved ones.

The Better Business Bureau is warning Missouri consumers about a scam involving postcards claiming to offer free gas and grocery vouchers that actually attempt to collect processing fees and payment information. Recipients who respond to the offers have reported unauthorized charges, unwanted subscription enrollments, and promised gift cards that never arrived, with some receiving only low-value coupons. The scam uses the name "AAPP," which closely resembles AARP, to target consumers with urgent claims that vouchers will be forfeited if they don't act immediately.

This article discusses Missouri Lt. Gov. David Wasinger's advocacy for seniors at a national conference, focusing on policy solutions rather than reporting on specific fraud cases. Wasinger highlighted challenges older Americans face including financial exploitation and called for stronger state protections such as tougher penalties for elder abuse and fraud, improved resource access, and centralized service portals modeled after Minnesota's approach.

Scammers are impersonating the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) using AI-generated content and fake websites to target people who have already fallen victim to scams, claiming they can recover stolen money or help with their cases. The fraud works by tricking victims into clicking malicious links or providing financial information that allows criminals to steal from them again. To protect yourself, the FBI recommends going directly to www.ic3.gov by typing the address rather than using search engines, and remember that the real IC3 will never contact you directly asking for money or information.

Scam victims face a double financial hit: not only do they lose money to fraudsters, but a 2017 tax law change now permanently prevents them from deducting those losses on their taxes, even if the stolen funds came from retirement accounts that are still taxed as income. Fraud losses have surged dramatically, reaching a record $15.9 billion in 2025 with a 27% increase from the previous year, yet victims are denied any tax relief despite their losses. To protect yourself, remain vigilant against scams (especially those impersonating federal agents), verify unexpected requests independently, and consult a tax professional if you do become a victim to understand your specific tax obligations.

A Missouri deputy nearly fell victim to a sophisticated text message scam that impersonated legitimate bank fraud alerts he had actually signed up for; the scam was only detected when the scammer offered to call him, which his real bank had never done. The incident highlights how cybercriminals are using advanced technology, including AI, to make phishing texts appear authentic and convincing to even trained law enforcement. To protect yourself, never click links in unsolicited texts claiming to be from your bank or business—instead, independently verify by contacting the company directly using a phone number you know is legitimate.

The FBI is warning of two major scams targeting people: a courier scam where victims are tricked into handing over cash or gold to supposed couriers, and a money mule scam targeting job seekers who are deceived into laundering stolen money through their bank accounts. Both scams begin with deceptive messages or job postings that build false trust, and victims can face serious consequences including legal liability and account closures. People should be wary of unsolicited contact requesting urgent action on accounts, verify job opportunities independently, and never transfer money or valuables to strangers, regardless of the reason given.

According to the FBI's 2025 Elder Fraud Report, seniors over 60 lost $7.7 billion to scams in a single year, with over 200,000 complaints representing a 50% increase since 2024—driven by criminals using AI technologies like voice cloning and deepfakes to impersonate grandchildren, government officials, and financial institutions. To protect themselves, older adults should watch for common red flags including unsolicited contact, pressure to act quickly, and requests for money or personal information, and should never respond to such requests without independently verifying the sender's identity. The U.S. Department of Justice recommends resisting urgency tactics, keeping security software updated, and reporting suspected scams immediately.

St. Louis County Police are warning residents about fraudulent text messages claiming to be from the Traffic Division, urging people to pay for alleged traffic violations through QR codes. The scam targets local residents who may not realize that courts never contact people by text or phone demanding payment. To protect yourself, ignore these messages, don't scan any QR codes or send money, and report the scam to local law enforcement if you've already fallen victim to it.

The House has passed a bipartisan bill (HR 2478) that would give investment firms and financial agents the power to temporarily freeze account withdrawals for up to 15 days if they suspect an older adult (65+) or someone with a mental or physical impairment is being financially exploited. The measure, which now goes to the Senate, aims to protect seniors and vulnerable individuals from losing their life savings to fraud by allowing time to investigate and confirm exploitation before funds are withdrawn. Industry groups supporting the bill emphasize that financial exploitation can devastate retirees' savings within days, making this emergency brake mechanism critical for protecting retirement security.

Edward Jones has invested in Carefull, a fraud-prevention service that monitors accounts and alerts clients or trusted contacts to suspicious activity, signs of scams, or potential cognitive decline—protecting seniors who lose over $7.7 billion annually to financial fraud. The investment makes Carefull's services available free to Edward Jones' 9 million clients through its 20,000 brokers, and similar tools are now being adopted by other major financial firms. Seniors and their families should consider enabling account monitoring services and setting up trusted contacts who can receive alerts about unusual financial activity.

Online fraud victims in St. Louis and beyond are increasingly turning to lawsuits to recover losses from scams—particularly romance and investment schemes that use fake dashboards and emotional manipulation to extract money through escalating wire transfers and cryptocurrency purchases. These "pig butchering" and investment grooming frauds typically involve scammers building trust with victims over time, then blocking withdrawals and demanding fake "taxes" or compliance fees before victims realize the gains were fabricated. Affected individuals are pursuing legal action to identify liable parties (including financial platforms that routed funds) and recover damages after traditional dispute methods fail, so victims should document all communications, transaction records, and warning signs they missed, and consult with a lawyer experienced in fraud recovery to understand their options.

An 80-year-old Bradenton veteran lost his entire life savings of $1.4 million in a gold bar scam orchestrated by criminals posing as U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, part of a nationwide elder fraud scheme. One conspirator, Syed M. Makki, was recently sentenced to 15½ years in prison and ordered to pay over $4.7 million in restitution after being caught transporting gold bars from multiple victims across several states. Seniors should be wary of unsolicited visits or calls from people claiming to be law enforcement who pressure them to convert assets into gold or other valuables, as legitimate government agencies do not operate this way.

A Georgia woman and an Illinois man have been convicted in a nationwide elder fraud scheme that defrauded a Bradenton senior of $1.4 million; the scammers impersonated law enforcement and convinced the victim to convert his savings into gold bars, which he then handed over to accomplices at predetermined locations. Syed M. Makki was sentenced to over 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $4.75 million in restitution, while the conspiracy targeted multiple victims between 2023 and early 2024 using phone calls and impersonation of government officials and law enforcement. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited calls claiming you have legal problems or warrants—legitimate law enforcement will not demand payment in gold or other goods, and you should independently verify any such claims by contacting official agencies directly.