Elder Fraud in Montana

The Federal Reserve banned two former bankers for stealing from elderly customers: Simon Alberto Gonzalez stole approximately $203,000 from an elderly Regions Bank customer in Orlando between August 2023 and November 2024, while Ralph Mojica took $33,300 from two elderly customers at First Interstate Bank's Nampa, Idaho branch between July and September 2025, plus an additional $8,000 from the bank itself. Both men were fired and barred from banking industry work without Federal Reserve approval, as regulators intensify efforts to combat elder financial exploitation amid a broader trend of seniors losing billions to fraud annually.

Montana's Attorney General hosted an Elder Justice Summit to educate seniors about scams, which disproportionately target people aged 60 and over nationwide. Experts shared warning signs of fraud, such as pressure to act quickly or requests for payment via gift cards, while highlighting the state's expanded Elder Justice Unit dedicated to investigating crimes against elderly residents. The event emphasized prevention and education as key tools to help seniors recognize and avoid falling victim to financial exploitation.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen hosted an Elder Justice Summit in Kalispell to warn seniors about sophisticated scams targeting older citizens, highlighting the case of Susan Bivins, who lost her entire $240,000 life savings to scammers posing as Amazon and DEA officials in 2022. Scammers increasingly use advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and emotional manipulation to exploit seniors' fears, making it difficult for law enforcement to recover stolen funds since criminals typically operate overseas. Knudsen advised Montanans to constantly question suspicious communications, immediately cut off contact with suspected scammers, and report incidents to law enforcement rather than sending money or personal information.

Credit unions in Ohio and Montana are implementing new fraud prevention tactics, such as brief questionnaires for large cash withdrawals, to catch scams before members lose money. One Cleveland-area credit union's simple intervention—asking a member withdrawing $15,000 where the cash was going—led her to realize she was likely being scammed and halt the transaction. These member-owned institutions are partnering with law enforcement and local agencies to create moments of reflection that help stop fraud, with some credit unions reporting three to four suspicious withdrawal attempts per month at individual branches.

Fairway Home Mortgage launched Fairway SAFE, a new nonprofit initiative to help seniors protect themselves from financial scams and fraud, which disproportionately target older adults through tactics like impersonation, investment fraud, and romance scams. The organization is offering free educational resources and hosting a complimentary webinar on July 29 featuring fraud expert Steven J. J. Weisman to teach seniors how to recognize warning signs and prevent becoming victims. Seniors and their families are advised to take advantage of these free educational resources to increase their financial awareness and learn practical strategies for protecting themselves from scams.

The Federal Communications Commission is partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services to launch the "Never, Ever" campaign to educate seniors about imposter scams, where fraudsters pose as government agencies or companies to steal money and personal information—a scheme that cost Americans $3.5 billion last year. The FCC clarified that legitimate government agencies will never call asking for payment via untraceable methods like cash apps, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, and will never threaten to suspend benefits or demand money transfers. To protect yourself, hang up on unsolicited callers claiming to be from the government or financial institutions, verify requests by calling the official number on your bill or website, and report suspicious calls to the FCC.

Scammers are increasingly targeting Montana's elderly residents through phone calls, emails, and text messages to steal personal information and money, with romance and pig butchering scams among the most common schemes. State leaders gathered to raise awareness about elder abuse, urging families to watch for warning signs such as seniors discussing new contacts or unusual financial activity, and to report suspected exploitation. Montana's elder justice unit, established in 2023, has investigated around 110 cases and officials stress the importance of stronger prevention systems and reporting suspected abuse to protect vulnerable seniors.

Romance scammers are targeting lonely people—particularly widows and divorcees—on dating websites, with cases rising 9% in 2024/2025 and Britons losing £109 million total. Perpetrators use cruel tactics like fake illnesses or dead children to extract money, with some victims losing over £400,000; one heartbreaking case involved a grandmother who lost £1 million and died in a car crash while trying to recover her losses in Ghana. To protect yourself, be cautious of online dating connections who quickly ask for money, verify identities through video calls before deepening relationships, and report suspicious activity to authorities or the FCA immediately.

AI-powered scam calls using deepfake voice technology are becoming increasingly sophisticated and common, with scammers impersonating family members in distress to extort money from victims. One Montana woman nearly fell for the scam when a caller perfectly mimicked her daughter's voice and crying, demanding payment while threatening her—the deception was so convincing that despite suspecting it was a scam, she almost complied out of fear for her daughter's safety. To protect yourself, verify emergencies by directly calling family members using known phone numbers, be skeptical of caller ID (which can be spoofed), and contact police rather than sending money if someone claims a loved one is in danger.

A 43-year-old New Jersey man was arrested in Mt. Sterling after an elderly New York woman lost over $500,000 in a romance scam that turned into extortion when the perpetrator demanded money to prevent alleged harm to her son. The suspect was caught after investigators traced the scam to an address in Kentucky, where authorities seized phones, computers, and evidence of multiple money transfers. Police warn the public to never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or personal information to unknown individuals, and to report anything suspicious immediately.

Fraud targeting seniors is surging in Montana, with over 6,000 residents reporting fraud losses totaling more than $23 million in 2024, according to Federal Trade Commission data. Older Americans are particularly vulnerable and can suffer devastating financial and emotional consequences from scams that arrive via calls, texts, emails, social media, and AI. To protect yourself, watch for red flags like artificial urgency and requests for untraceable payments through gift cards or cryptocurrency, remember that legitimate government agencies never demand immediate payment, and report suspected scams to local law enforcement or the Division of Criminal Investigation.