🎯 EXPOSED: 80-Year-Old Criminal Scams $15 Million from Seniors

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Week of May 4, 2025

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SENIOR SCAM NEWS
80-Year-Old Criminal Pleads Guilty to Scamming Over $15 Million from Seniors

A Las Vegas woman and her co-conspirators just got caught red-handed for running one of the biggest local scams targeting seniors we’ve seen in years—raking in a jaw-dropping $15.5 million through fraudulent sweepstakes mailers. This case is more than a headline—it’s a wake-up call for every household with a mailbox.

Meet the Accused:
Barbara Trickle, 80, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. But she didn’t work alone. According to a federal indictment, Trickle teamed up with Kimberly Stamps of Arizona and John Kyle Muller of Colorado in a long-running scheme that operated from 2012 to 2018. Together, they used personalized fake letters that promised life-changing sweepstakes prizes—all for a small "processing fee."

But there were no prizes. No winners. Just thousands of hopeful seniors duped out of their savings.

How the Scam Worked:
Picture this: You check your mail and find a very official-looking letter with a message like:

Sound familiar?

The indictment reveals that the scammers used fake company names like “Premium Award Center,” “Office of the Registrar Funding Division,” and “Winners Search Advisory.” They created a sense of urgency and legitimacy by using fake titles like “Chief of Administration” and “Board Chairman,” fake ID numbers, and official-looking seals.

Victims—many of whom were elderly—were told to send $20 to $50 to secure their prize. In return, they received either a cheap trinket or a booklet of publicly available sweepstakes listings. That's it.

They Even Tracked Who Fell for It

What makes this scam especially disturbing is how methodical it was. The fraudsters scanned and tracked victims’ responses, creating databases of "good targets" to hit again and again. According to the indictment, Trickle and her team analyzed victim response rates to determine which mailings worked best—and then targeted those same people repeatedly.

Even after receiving complaints from victims, the Better Business Bureau, and a U.S. Postal Service enforcement action, they kept the scam running.

How They Got Caught

Thanks to a coordinated federal investigation, including work from the DOJ's Consumer Protection Branch and U.S. Postal Inspectors, the scheme finally unraveled in 2018. But not before thousands of seniors lost hard-earned money.

Trickle now faces sentencing this summer and could spend years behind bars. Prosecutors are also working to seize any money or assets tied to the fraudulent operation.

What You Can Do: Protect Yourself and Loved Ones

This case is a perfect reminder that fraudsters are smart—but we can be smarter.

✔️ Never send money to claim a prize. Real sweepstakes don’t charge fees.

✔️ Watch for urgency and official-sounding language. Scammers love to rush you.

✔️ Talk it out. If you get one of these letters, show it to a trusted friend or family member.

✔️ Report it. Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) if you suspect foul play.

Scams like this prey on hope—but with awareness and action, we can stop the cycle.

Stay sharp and stay safe.