Elder Fraud in West Virginia

Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, was arrested and charged with federal bank fraud after using forged passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw approximately $11,000 from multiple banks across Washington state and Maine in 2024. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison plus additional state charges, with a plea deal hearing scheduled for August 28, 2025. A separate study by VPNPro found that seniors aged 60 and older across all U.S. states lost significant sums to fraud in 2022, with losses ranging from approximately $3 million to $31 million per state, highlighting the widesprea

Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, was arrested and charged with federal bank fraud after using fake passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw approximately $11,000 from multiple Washington state banks in 2024, with similar attempts in Maine; she faces up to 30 years in prison and state charges across multiple Washington counties. Additionally, a VPNPro study reveals that seniors aged 60 and over across all U.S. states lost substantial sums to fraud in 2022, with per-victim losses ranging from $13,118 to $30,150 depending on the state, highlighting seniors as prime targets for scammers

Perry Forensic, a division of Perry & Associates CPAs, hired three experienced forensic professionals: Steven A. Bodge (certified fraud examiner with 30+ years of insurance fraud investigation experience), David A. Tracewell (retired IRS forensic accountant with 30 years of federal tax examination expertise), and Jeff Harper (CPA with 40+ years in financial management and consulting). Bodge will also provide free elder fraud prevention seminars in the Mid-Ohio Valley region, addressing a significant problem that cost Americans over 60 more than $4.8 billion in 2024.

Older adults in West Virginia are frequently targeted by scammers using robocalls, texts, and social media schemes that exploit personal information to build false credibility. Common tactics include impersonating legitimate businesses, the IRS, or family members in distress, then pressuring victims to purchase Green Dot cards, Bitcoin, or other untraceable payment methods. Police advise seniors to question callers without disclosing personal information and recognize that legitimate businesses never operate through unsolicited contact demanding immediate payment.

After natural disasters, criminals pose as disaster workers or FEMA representatives to steal personal information and commit identity theft and fraud. The advisory provides protective measures including: never give money or personal information to unsolicited callers, verify FEMA contacts through official channels (1-800-621-3362), always request official ID badges, and report suspicious activity to the Disaster Fraud Hotline (1-866-720-5721) or local authorities.

Scammers increasingly target seniors in the Eastern Panhandle and across the country through phone calls, emails, texts, and in-person visits, impersonating government agencies, tech companies, or family members to trick victims into revealing personal information or sending money. Common schemes include fake arrest/bail demands, Medicare card warnings, and suspicious transaction alerts that create artificial urgency. Experts recommend verifying caller identity independently, never sharing personal information unsolicited, avoiding gift cards and wire transfers, and reporting suspicious activity, while family members can support prevention through regular communication and vigilance.

Charleston Police and Chase Bank hosted a scam awareness workshop for seniors in Charleston, West Virginia, where attendees learned to recognize common fraud schemes including E-Z Pass, jury duty, and romance scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, West Virginia residents lost approximately $27 million to fraud and scams in 2024 and are on pace to lose more in 2025. Experts advised seniors to verify requests with trusted sources directly, avoid sharing personal information via phone or email, and report scams immediately to police and their banks, noting that once money reaches scammers—typically operating overseas—it is nearly impossible to recover.

Eight people have been charged in a sophisticated $8.8 million bank fraud operation that victimized over 230 people, many of them seniors, after three Maryland bank employees allegedly used their access to steal customer information including Social Security numbers and account details, which co-conspirators then used to open fraudulent accounts and transfer funds. The defendants, arrested across multiple states, face charges including racketeering, conspiracy, identity fraud, and unauthorized computer access, with bonds ranging from $10,000 to $1,020,000. Authorities recovered some stolen funds that were spent on personal purchases including vehicles, and the case involved coordination between Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Missouri law enforcement agencies.

A multi-state fraud operation that stole $8.8 million from 235 predominantly elderly victims was dismantled, resulting in eight arrests in Polk County, Florida. The scheme involved three M&T Bank employees in Maryland who sold stolen customer data via Telegram to fraudsters, who then used the credentials to drain bank accounts and purchase luxury items. The perpetrators, including bank insiders Antonio Penn, Roshado Durrant, and others, face racketeering and related felony charges with bonds exceeding $1 million.

A nationwide health care fraud takedown resulted in 324 defendants charged across the United States for schemes involving over $14.6 billion in false billings and illegal drug diversion, with authorities seizing over $245 million in assets. Four defendants were charged in the Eastern District of Louisiana, including the co-owner of a diagnostic laboratory who allegedly defrauded Medicare of approximately $4.4 million through over $30 million in false genetic testing claims, and a physician who billed Medicare approximately $24 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing. These schemes targeted Medicare and programs serving elderly and disabled populations through kickback schemes and fraudulent billing practices.

An anesthesiology resident at Seattle Children's Hospital and UW Medical Center was criminally charged with diverting narcotic medications (fentanyl and hydromorphone) for personal use over at least a year, sometimes while working and treating patients; simultaneously, Pinnacle Health PC, a Seattle medical practice, settled a civil case for billing over $500,000 to federal programs for experimental, unapproved treatments. These cases were part of a nationwide 2025 healthcare fraud takedown involving 324 defendants charged with $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and illegal diversion of 15 million controlled substance pills.

**Summary:** The FBI Pittsburgh warned that elder fraud complaints reached 147,127 in 2024, resulting in $4.885 billion in losses—a 46% increase in complaints and 43% surge in losses year-over-year, with West Virginia victims reporting $5.7 million in losses. Common schemes targeting seniors include romance scams, investment fraud, tech support scams, and money mule schemes, with fraudsters exploiting seniors' perceived trustworthiness, isolation, and financial stability. The FBI recommends verifying unknown contacts, avoiding pressure-based decisions, protecting personal information, and reporting suspected fraud through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov) to help law enforcement

This article discusses three increasingly sophisticated scams enabled by AI and technology: "accidental text" phishing messages designed to validate phone numbers for future targeting, fraudulent QR codes placed in public locations to steal personal information, and SIM swapping where thieves redirect a victim's phone number to access their accounts. The article recommends avoiding responses to unsolicited texts, verifying QR code sources before scanning, and setting up PIN codes with phone providers to prevent unauthorized number transfers.

The Taylor County Senior Citizens Center is promoting Medicare Fraud Prevention Week (June 5) to educate seniors on detecting and preventing Medicare fraud, which costs the program an estimated $60 billion annually. The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) provides free resources and guidance to help beneficiaries, caregivers, and families protect themselves through monitoring insurance statements, safeguarding Medicare numbers, and reporting suspicious activity. Community members are encouraged to watch for warning signs among elderly neighbors and contact the center at 304-265-4555 for more information and educational materials.

April Elick, 43, of Bluefield, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to stealing $84,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, including two Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $14,520 and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan of $69,700, which she obtained by falsely claiming the money was for her home healthcare business. Elick admitted to converting the funds for personal use, including approximately $30,560 in cash withdrawals, $16,350 in digital wallet transfers, and $8,290 in purchases across multiple states. She faces sentencing on September 8, 2025, with a maximum penalty of 10