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A 66-year-old Montana woman named Rita lost $90,000 in a romance scam after developing an emotional connection with someone posing as a celebrity over social media and encrypted messaging platforms. The scammer, who claimed to be going through a divorce like Rita, eventually requested payments in Bitcoin, and it took her 4½ months to recognize the fraud. Rita shared her story as a public service announcement, noting that romance and confidence scams resulted in over $389 million in losses to more than 7,600 victims over 60 in 2024.

A 66-year-old Montana woman named Rita lost over $90,000 in a romance scam after being deceived by someone posing as a celebrity on social media who claimed to be going through a divorce; the scammer eventually moved conversations to an anonymous messaging platform and requested payments in Bitcoin. It took Rita approximately 4½ months to recognize she was being defrauded, and she shared her story publicly to warn others that romance scams—which use fake intimate relationships to manipulate victims—are among the costliest internet crimes, with over 7,600 victims aged 60 and older losing approximately $389 million in 2024 according to the FBI.

Internet crimes cost Americans $16.6 billion in 2024, a 33% increase from the previous year, with scammers particularly targeting seniors over 60 who may be more trusting or isolated. Montana residents have been hit hard by various schemes including cryptocurrency scams, Ponzi schemes targeting elderly investors, and romance scams, with one state resident losing $4 million over six years to an online romance fraudster. To protect yourself, report suspected fraud to authorities, be skeptical of unsolicited contacts claiming computer or financial emergencies, verify investment opportunities independently, and avoid depositing money into cryptocurrency ATMs based on scammer instructions.

An 85-year-old woman in Yellowstone County, Montana was defrauded of $130,000 in a PayPal scam where fraudsters convinced her they had used their own money to secure an account for her and she needed to repay them. The scammers used isolation tactics, telling her not to tell anyone and that they were the only ones she could trust, while claiming her accounts had been hacked and they were trying to help recover her money. This case exemplifies the growing wave of elder fraud scams affecting Montana and the country, with the victim facing potential homelessness after losing her life savings.

Montana Adult Protective Services received over 14,000 allegations of elder abuse last year, with 3,000 involving financial exploitation. Contributing factors include cognitive decline, loneliness, and wealth, with perpetrators ranging from external scammers using electronic means to family members seeking early inheritance. Prevention awareness efforts highlight the need to address these complicated and technical crimes targeting vulnerable elders.

A Helena, Montana resident nearly fell victim to an impersonation scam when a caller posing as a sheriff's office representative threatened arrest for missed jury duty and demanded $5,000 payment. The victim avoided losing money by contacting his bank, Opportunity Bank of Montana, whose employees verified the scam and confirmed the fraudster had spoofed the sheriff's department's phone number. The transcript emphasizes common tactics scammers use—fear and urgency—and recommends pausing to verify information before responding to suspicious communications.

Susan Hall Skinner, a former Capitol High cheer coach and property manager at Pheasant Glenn (a low-income senior housing community in Montana), was sentenced to 5 years in custody plus 5 years suspended for felony embezzlement and elderly exploitation. She stole cash rent payments from residents without crediting their accounts and fraudulently applied for emergency rental assistance benefits on their behalf without consent, resulting in $71,000 in restitution ordered (with $40,000 paid at sentencing).

Montana's Commissioner of Securities and Insurance is conducting community education on scams targeting seniors, who are particularly vulnerable because they typically have accumulated more wealth through paid-off homes and mature investments. The office has identified a rising trend of "pig butchering" schemes—a cryptocurrency-based variation of romance scams where scammers initiate contact through text messages, social media, or dating apps, build a relationship, and then solicit money or fraudulent investment advice, resulting in significant financial losses.