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The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office reported an increase in grandparent scams targeting senior citizens in North Iowa, where callers falsely claim a relative has been arrested and demand cash for bail. Victims were duped into handing over cash to couriers who arrived at their homes, with suspects identified as a well-dressed Black male driving a dark SUV with possible Minnesota plates, sometimes accompanied by an unknown female. Law enforcement advises seniors never to provide personal information or cash to unknown callers and to report such incidents immediately.

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A Colorado man, Amondo Antoine Miller, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for his role in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that defrauded over 150,000 victims, primarily elderly and vulnerable individuals, by deceiving them into unwanted magazine subscriptions. The scheme, which operated from 2000 onward, caused some victims to face monthly charges exceeding $1,000 from multiple fraudulent billings simultaneously. This case marked the largest elder fraud prosecution in the nation and was the first in Minnesota prosecuted under the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994, which provides enhanced penalties for telemarketing fraud targeting seniors.

Truth Social users, predominantly older Americans, lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to scammers using "pig butchering" schemes and romance scams, according to FTC complaints obtained by a tech reporter. Victims included a 60-64-year-old from Minnesota who lost $500,000 to a cryptocurrency investment scam, a septuagenarian who lost $21,000 in a romance-based scheme, and a 70-74-year-old from Oregon who lost $120,000 in a fake gold trading scam. Scammers typically build trust on Truth Social before moving victims to other platforms and convincing them to invest in fake cryptocurrency, stock, or precious

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison shut down two fraudulent debt settlement companies, Financial Solutions Group and Accelerated Debt Settlement, that illegally collected fees and misrepresented their services, securing over $1 million in refunds for affected Minnesota clients. Warning signs of debt settlement scams include substantial upfront fees, promises of specific results, and lack of clear service information; consumers should seek help from legitimate nonprofit credit counseling organizations and be wary of claims that sound too good to be true.

A northern Minnesota woman was charged with three felonies after attempting to submit an absentee ballot for her deceased mother in early October, but the fraud was caught immediately when county election officials cross-referenced deaths with voter registration records and discovered the mother had died in August. The case demonstrates that existing election safeguards are effective at preventing voter fraud, as election officials in Itasca County flagged the fraudulent ballot and are prosecuting the woman, who faces up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines for each charge.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison provides guidance on steps to take after a data breach, warning that stolen personal information (passwords, social security numbers, credit card data, etc.) is frequently used by criminals to open fraudulent accounts or conduct phishing scams that damage victims' credit. Consumers should change passwords, enable two-factor authentication, place a fraud alert with credit bureaus, and consider placing a security freeze on their credit reports to protect themselves from identity theft and unauthorized account creation.

Attorney General Keith Ellison warned Minnesota veterans about "claim shark" scams operating before Veterans Day, in which unauthorized individuals and companies illegally charge veterans large fees or a percentage of benefit increases to assist with VA benefit claims they falsely promise to expedite or guarantee. Claim sharks use aggressive advertising, deceptive contracts, and high-pressure tactics while impersonating authorized representatives, and veterans can protect themselves by using only VA-accredited attorneys, claims agents, and Veterans Service Organization representatives who offer free assistance and by never sharing login credentials or signing contracts outside official VA representation forms.

**Summary:** Ideal Credit Union and the Minnesota Department of Commerce are hosting a free "Safe Seniors" workshop on December 12th in Woodbury to educate seniors about financial fraud prevention. The in-person or virtual session will be led by Senior Financial Fraud Investigator Boima Freeman and will cover identity theft, credit card fraud, phishing, invoice fraud, and payroll fraud, with guidance on recognizing and reporting financial exploitation of seniors and vulnerable adults.

A 26-year-old man named Benjamin Yakah was arrested in Minnesota for operating an internet romance scam in which he posed as a woman named "Julia" on Facebook and defrauded a 77-year-old widower in Bradenton, Florida of over $100,000 across eight months. Yakah used stolen photos of a West Virginia woman without her knowledge and convinced the victim that he needed money to pay off a debt before relocating from the United Kingdom to Florida to start a relationship. The victim's children reported the scam to the Bradenton Police Department's Elder Fraud Unit in June, leading investigators to trace the fraudulent bank account to Yakah, and further investigation reveale

A 26-year-old Minnesota man, Benjamin Yakah, was arrested and faces grand theft charges after defrauding a 77-year-old Bradenton widower of over $100,000 in an eight-month internet romance scam. The victim was deceived by a fake Facebook profile using stolen photos of a West Virginia woman, who posed as "Julia" and convinced him to send cash and checks to Minnesota accounts under the pretense of relocating to Florida to be with him. The victim's children alerted authorities in June, leading to a five-month investigation and Yakah's arrest; evidence suggests he victimized additional people in other states.

A 77-year-old widower in Bradenton, Florida lost $100,000 to a romance scammer who posed as a British woman named "Julia" on Facebook and claimed she needed money to pay off a debt before relocating to be with him. The investigation, launched in June 2024 by the victim's children, revealed that suspect Benjamin Yakah used stolen photos from a West Virginia woman's Facebook account and had the victim send cash and checks to accounts in Minneapolis over an eight-month period. Yakah was arrested in Minnesota and is awaiting extradition to Manatee County; police suspect he scammed multiple victims across different states.

A 77-year-old widower from Bradenton, Florida lost over $100,000 in a romance scam after meeting someone claiming to be "Julia" on Facebook Messenger who posed as a woman from the United Kingdom seeking to relocate to America. Benjamin Yakah from Minnesota was arrested after investigation revealed he operated the scam, using stolen photos and convincing the victim to send cash and checks to pay off fabricated debts; evidence suggests there are additional victims. Yakah is awaiting extradition to Manatee County as the investigation continues.

A 26-year-old Minnesota man, Benjamin Yakah, was arrested and charged with grand theft after stealing over $100,000 from a 77-year-old Bradenton widower through an eight-month romance scam on Facebook. The scammer posed as a woman named "Julia" from the United Kingdom, using stolen photos and claiming to need money to pay debts before relocating to Florida, while all funds were directed to Yakah's bank account in Minneapolis. The investigation, initiated by the victim's family in June 2024, revealed additional victims in other states, and Yakah is being extradited to Manatee County to face charges.

A 26-year-old Minnesota man, Benjamin Yakah, was arrested following a five-month investigation by the Bradenton Police Department's Elder Fraud Unit for stealing over $100,000 from a 77-year-old Bradenton widower through a romance scam. The victim was deceived by a fake Facebook profile using photos stolen from a West Virginia woman, with the scammer posing as "Julia" and convincing the victim to send money for an alleged debt settlement in Minnesota. The victim's children discovered the fraud in June 2024, and Yakah is currently awaiting extradition to Manatee County; investigators believe there may be additional victims in other

The FBI targeted a romance scam operation linked to $5 million in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes affecting approximately 71 victims, including a 60-year-old from North Carolina and an 83-year-old from Minnesota. Scammers used fake identities on social media to build romantic relationships with victims before directing them to invest in a counterfeit cryptocurrency platform called Bitkanant, after which they cut off contact and disappeared with the funds. The U.S. Attorney's office seized nearly $5 million in Tether cryptocurrency in August, with one victim losing an entire retirement account, and the FBI is working to identify perpetrators and return assets to victims.

The FBI is investigating a crypto romance scam ring responsible for up to $5 million in fraud, with federal prosecutors in North Carolina seizing approximately $4.99 million from suspicious Tether wallets linked to the operation. The scammers, known as "pig butchering" schemes, built trust with at least 71 victims (including a 60-year-old from North Carolina and an 83-year-old from Minnesota) before luring them into fraudulent investments on a fake exchange called Bitkanant, where victims were then blocked from withdrawing funds unless they paid additional taxes and fees. Two victims lost over $2.75 million combined, and the scam rings

**Summary:** AARP Minnesota is advocating for legislation (SF 447/HF 1392) to establish a Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund that would redirect civil penalty payments from fraud cases won by the state Attorney General's office to compensate fraud victims, particularly older adults. Minnesotans reported losses totaling $144.6 million in fraud cases in 2024, and the proposed fund would be especially crucial for cases where perpetrators are overseas or bankrupt, while incentivizing both law enforcement action and crime reporting.

A 56-year-old Bradenton, Florida man was arrested for defrauding a 74-year-old Texas woman of at least $250,000 (possibly up to $600,000) by posing as Elon Musk on Facebook and promising a $55 million return on fake business investments. The article also highlights a related case where a 26-year-old Minnesota man was arrested for stealing over $100,000 from a 77-year-old widower through an online romance scam, reflecting a broader trend in which scammers stole at least $3.4 billion from Americans aged 60 and older in 2023.

Online shopping fraud is a significant risk during the holiday season, with Americans across all age groups losing hundreds of millions of dollars to scams in 2023, particularly through fake websites and credit card theft. Experts advise consumers to watch for red flags such as prices significantly below market value and artificially created urgency, as scammers exploit the hectic holiday season to encourage rushed purchases without proper research.

A "pig butchering" romance scam targeting elderly people involves fraudsters impersonating actor Johnny Depp on Facebook, then moving conversations to messaging apps to convince victims to send money via cryptocurrency, gift cards, and other payment methods. The FTC received 197 complaints over one year from victims across the country, many in their 60s who lost thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars from retirement accounts, with one Minnesota woman losing $1,700 before her bank intervened. The scammers exploit emotional vulnerability and loneliness by posing as Depp or associates like his fictional "manager Jack Wingham," using flattery and false promises of romance or investment returns.

A concerned citizen nearly fell for an impersonation scam where a caller claiming to be law enforcement demanded $15,000 bail to release the victim's daughter from jail after a purported car accident; the parents avoided loss by verifying the claim at the actual jail and discovering their daughter was safe. The article documents multiple similar law enforcement impersonation scams in Wright County, Minnesota, where scammers pose as sheriffs or court officials demanding payment or personal information, and provides guidance that legitimate law enforcement never calls demanding cash payments and advises victims to hang up and contact the actual agency directly.

A fake PayPal invoice scam is circulating in Minnesota, with fraudsters sending official-looking emails claiming payment is owed for unauthorized purchases and threatening account suspension to pressure victims into calling fake customer service numbers or clicking malicious links. The scam exploits holiday season distractions and mimics legitimate PayPal formatting to trick recipients into divulging financial information or compromising their accounts. The article advises verifying claims directly through PayPal's official website/app, avoiding links and phone numbers in suspicious emails, and reporting phishing attempts to PayPal.

A "brushing" scam circulating in Minnesota and across the country involves victims receiving unsolicited packages containing small items like Bluetooth speakers or jewelry with a QR code inside; scanning the QR code compromises the phone and grants scammers access to banking information, resulting in drained bank accounts. Police departments warn consumers to avoid scanning QR codes from unknown sources and to educate family members about this fraud tactic.

A WalletHub study ranking states on elder-abuse protections found Minnesota ranks 10th overall, excelling in financial crime legislation (1st) but lagging in abuse complaint reporting (27th). The article highlights a recent case in rural Douglas County where an elderly resident was defrauded of over $100,000 through a gold investment scam, and emphasizes that elder abuse—including physical, financial, emotional, and neglect—often goes unreported and can be perpetrated by family members or caregivers, requiring greater awareness and preventive measures.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is urging residents to become "scam spotters" in 2025 as the state reports an increase in fraudsters tricking people into sharing financial information and losing money. The department provides key prevention tips including verifying requests directly with the source, resisting emotional manipulation and urgency tactics, avoiding upfront payment demands, and not clicking suspicious links—and offers resources for reporting scams and checking business licenses.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison warns that scammers posing as immigration attorneys target immigrant populations by promising legal services, collecting upfront payments, and then disappearing while potentially damaging victims' immigration cases through incorrect forms or missed deadlines. The advisory provides protective measures including verifying attorney credentials, obtaining free immigration forms from USCIS.gov, never signing blank documents, and getting receipts and copies of all work. Victims can report scams to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, the Federal Trade Commission, or directly to social media platforms where fraudulent accounts operate.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office warned of an increase in mortgage-assistance scams targeting homeowners struggling with payments, with scammers using unsolicited mailings and publicly available foreclosure records to appear legitimate. While foreclosure rates remain historically low, Minnesota experienced an 18.59% monthly increase in foreclosures from September to October, with the state ranking 27th nationally, prompting heightened alerts about predatory schemes exploiting financially vulnerable homeowners.

Holiday season scams and financial fraud are surging, with Minnesotans losing $94 million in 2023 and the FBI receiving a record 880,428 complaints nationally with losses exceeding $12.5 billion. Artificial intelligence is making scams harder to detect, enabling criminals to create deepfake voices, fake videos, and fraudulent messages impersonating trusted sources, while investment scams alone jumped 40% with $4.6 billion in losses. The Better Business Bureau recommends verifying websites, using credit card payments, avoiding unsolicited emails and links, using strong passwords, and registering with the National Do Not Call Registry to protect against fraud.

An unlicensed caregiver at Madonna Meadows of Rochester, Minnesota allegedly used a resident's debit card to order over $500 in unauthorized food deliveries and attempted to forge a check, which was caught when the bank noticed a signature mismatch. The caregiver fled the facility and abandoned her driver's license at the bank before police could be notified; the facility confirmed the employee no longer works there and stated they cooperated with investigations and conduct background checks on all staff.

A Minnesota man warned of a lottery scam targeting elderly residents, in which callers claiming to represent a prize giveaway repeatedly contacted him over four days, offering $2.5 million and a car in exchange for purchasing a pre-paid debit card. The scammer used a Jamaican area code (867) and did not request credit card information directly, instead asking the victim to buy Green Dot cards at local retailers. The victim did not fall for the scheme and urged others—particularly seniors—to remain vigilant and report such incidents to the Federal Trade Commission.

Russell Rahm, leader of a telemarketing scheme spanning two decades (2000-2020), was sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding 183,000 elderly and vulnerable victims of approximately $335 million through fake magazine subscription sales. The conspiracy involved 61 defendants across the U.S. and Canada who used fraudulent scripts and lead lists to trick victims into unwanted subscriptions, with some victims charged up to $1,000 monthly by multiple phony companies simultaneously; Rahm was ordered to pay full restitution.

Scam attempts in Minnesota and globally are escalating, with over $1.03 trillion lost to scammers in 2024, increasingly aided by artificial intelligence that generates convincing phishing emails, fake images, and cloned voices. High-risk scams include imposter schemes (grandparent and romance scams with median losses of $800), government imposter scams ($14,000+ median loss), cryptocurrency scams, employment scams, and task scams (which increased from 5,000 reports in 2023 to 20,000 in the first half of 2024). Scammers exploit recent disasters and events while using AI to intensify existing frau

Russell Rahm, 54, of Olathe, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his central role in what prosecutors describe as the largest elder fraud conspiracy in U.S. history, involving over 60 defendants and 100,000 victims who were defrauded of more than $300 million over 24 years through telemarketing scams. As owner and CEO of Kansas-based companies including Subscription Ink Co. and Millennium Marketing, Rahm orchestrated fraudulent magazine sales schemes using deceptive scripts targeting vulnerable and elderly consumers, personally collecting approximately $103 million from victims; he has been ordered to pay $110 million in restitution. The

Russell Jason "Rusty" Rahm, a Lake of the Ozarks powerboater, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in January 2025 for his role as a scheme leader in what federal prosecutors call the largest elder fraud incident in U.S. history. The 20-year magazine subscription fraud targeted 183,000 elderly victims who lost an estimated $335 million, with Rahm ordered to pay over $103 million in restitution. Rahm was one of 61 conspirators and must report to prison by March 11, 2025, despite his legal team's arguments that he suffers

Two Minnesota brothers, Abdulkadir Nur Salah and Abdi Nur Salah, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges in connection with the Feeding Our Future scandal, a $250 million scheme involving fraudulent claims under the Federal Child Nutrition Program. The brothers, who operated Safari Restaurant and a fraudulent nonprofit, received over $16 million in false reimbursements and must forfeit more than $1.5 million in bank accounts and several properties to the federal government.

Two Minnesota brothers, Abdulkadir Nur Salah and Abdi Nur Salah, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges for their roles in the Feeding Our Future scandal, a $250 million scheme involving fraudulent reimbursements from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. One brother's restaurant received over $16 million in fraudulent payments, while the other registered a fake nonprofit to obtain federal funding by falsely claiming to provide meals to children across Minnesota. Both men agreed to forfeit over $1.5 million in bank accounts and several properties to the federal government, with sentencing to be scheduled later.

The Senior LinkAge Line is offering a free virtual presentation on March 12 to educate older adults about health care fraud, waste, and abuse prevention, recognizing that scams targeting seniors are on the rise. The 90-minute session, in partnership with the Senior Medicare Patrol federal program, will cover fraud detection, reporting mechanisms, and personal information protection strategies. The Minnesota Board on Aging's Senior LinkAge Line provides free statewide support to help older Minnesotans and caregivers access services and resources.

In October 2023, Dennis from Maplewood lost $20,000 in a grandparent scam when callers impersonated his grandson and a public defender, claiming he needed bail money for a car accident, followed by a second request for $15,000 for a manslaughter settlement. The article reports that fraud victimizes billions of dollars annually from U.S. consumers, with Minnesota alone receiving over 22,000 fraud reports totaling nearly $103 million in losses during the first three quarters of 2024, and notes that recovery options remain limited. AARP Minnesota is advocating for a state Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund financed by civil penalties

Brandon Michael Ferguson and his asphalt company, Community Blacktop LLC (operating under multiple aliases), defrauded consumers across Minnesota and nationwide by quoting low prices for asphalt work, then delivering substandard results and demanding inflated bills multiple times the original quote—with one victim quoted $2,000-$3,000 charged $17,000 instead. The Minnesota Attorney General reached a settlement requiring the company to dissolve and pay $100,000 in restitution to victims, with Ferguson admitting to procuring work through fraud and violating consumer protection laws. The AG urges victims to contact his office to help identify affected consumers, as poor recordkeeping makes tracking

This article is not related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a local news piece about volunteers being sought for a waste management planning committee in the Kootenay Boundary region, with applications open until January 9. This content falls outside the scope of the Elderus fraud research database and does not require a fraud-related summary.

Two individuals were arrested in Olivia, Minnesota after attempting to collect cash from a resident through a computer and phone scam that compromised the victim's computer. The victim had already handed over an unspecified sum of cash to a courier on February 11, 2025, and the scammers subsequently demanded an additional $40,000; officers arrested both suspects at the victim's residence when the courier arrived to collect the second payment. One suspect has been flagged with an immigration hold by ICE, and the case remains under investigation by the Olivia Police Department and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The Senior LinkAge Line is offering a free virtual presentation on April 9 from 10-11:30 a.m. focused on health care fraud, waste, and abuse prevention for older adults. The presentation, developed in partnership with the Senior Medicare Patrol, provides information on fraud prevention, detection, and reporting to help seniors protect their personal information. The Senior LinkAge Line is a statewide Minnesota service designed to help older adults and caregivers access resources and support.

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Scammers in Minnesota and Iowa are targeting elderly residents with a "bail scam" where they claim a family member has been arrested and demand immediate payment to secure their release. The scam escalates by claiming a gag order prevents victims from telling anyone and requesting in-person payment, making the money impossible to recover. Law enforcement urges residents to inform elderly family members and report any such calls.

The La Crescent Police Department reported five scam calls in one day targeting residents with a "grandchild in jail" premise, where callers falsely claimed relatives were arrested after vehicle accidents and demanded money for bail. Two families nearly lost $9,000 and $18,000 respectively before recognizing the fraud; scammers instructed victims to lie to banks about withdrawal purposes and used spoofed local phone numbers and computer-generated voices to appear legitimate. Police advised community members to verify incidents directly with family, noting that scammers specifically target elders with landlines using fear tactics, and emphasized that government agencies like the IRS and Social Security do not initiate arrest-related calls.

Scammers have created fake Joann Fabrics websites offering discounts up to 91% following the company's announcement that all stores are closing in 2025. Multiple Minnesota residents have been victimized through fraudulent sites like joann-liquidation-us.com advertised on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, with victims reporting unauthorized charges on payment methods and worthless gift cards purchased at steep discounts. The Better Business Bureau warns that this scam continues to resurface as scammers capitalize on the legitimate store closures to deceive crafters seeking liquidation deals.

Minnesota lawmakers are proposing to expand the state's Medicaid fraud control unit from 32 to 41 investigators and increase penalties for health and elder-care providers who defraud Medicaid, with fines up to $100,000 and prison sentences up to 20 years for thefts exceeding $35,000. The $390,000 annual expansion is justified by the fraud unit's track record of recovering $53 million in civil penalties and criminal restitution over six years while costing the state $6 million. Attorney General Keith Ellison argues the expansion is critical to protect Medicaid's integrity and preserve public support for the program serving 1.4

A Wisconsin resident was targeted by a scammer impersonating Geek Squad who claimed her computer was compromised and required remote access to fix it. After obtaining her banking information under the pretense of payment, the scammer falsely claimed to have deposited $10,000 into her account and instructed her to withdraw cash and send it via Bitcoin ATM. A vigilant grocery store manager intervened and prevented the transaction from completing.

Scammers are impersonating MnDOT and E-ZPass through fraudulent text messages claiming recipients have unpaid tolls or violations, requesting personal information or payments via suspicious links. MnDOT emphasizes that it never requests personal or sensitive information via text or email, and advises recipients to delete suspicious messages and report the scam to local police, the FBI's internet crime complaint center, or the Federal Trade Commission.