Scammers often target older Iowans, exploiting their kindness and good will. These schemes can take many forms, such as a scammer posing as a family member in urgent need of help or falsely claiming the older Iowan is involved in a crime and needs to pay to avoid arrest or jail. It ¢â‚¬â„¢s important for senior Iowans to be on alert, recognize the warning signs of a scam, and know how to avoid and report scams.  

¢â‚¬Å“As attorney general, my goal is to protect Iowans from criminals who exploit and take their hard-earned money, ¢â‚¬ � said Attorney General Bird. ¢â‚¬Å“Scammers are smart and know when people are most vulnerable. I urge older Iowans to be cautious. If you think you are being scammed, contact my office for assistance. ¢â‚¬ �  

Attorney General Bird ¢â‚¬â„¢s office presents at regular Stop the Scammers events around the state to educate Iowans against scams. At a June event, Iowan Lynne Caltrider approached a representative from the attorney general ¢â‚¬â„¢s office concerned that she might be involved in a scam. An investigation revealed that she had indeed been scammed out of a considerable amount of money. Working with state and local law enforcement, several individuals in relation to the crime have been arrested.   

While the investigation is ongoing, Attorney General Bird ¢â‚¬â„¢s office was able to recover a small part of the money Lynne deposited in a cryptocurrency ATM at the direction of scammers.  

In July, Lynne was awarded the Meritorious Service Award by the Iowa Insurance Division ¢â‚¬â„¢s Fraud Bureau for her willingness to share her story and aid in the arrest of criminals connected to the scheme.  

You can watch a short interview with Lynne here.  

If you or someone you know is a victim of or suspicious of a scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General ¢â‚¬â„¢s office at 1-888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint.