Tagged: scams

Midwesterners are often known for their kindness and, unfortunately, some people take advantage of it, especially during the holidays.

Host Don Marsh talked with Bill Smith, an investigator for the St. Louis Better Business Bureau.

They addressed ways to avoid becoming the victim of so-called “grinches,” including these twelve tips to outsmart scammers.

The latest scam designed to separate Missouri residents from their money involves phony letters from the State Attorney General’s office, the IRS and other government agencies.

The letters include a fake government letterhead, and state that the recipient has won a million dollars or more in prize money.  Attorney General Chris Koster (D) says the intended victims are then informed that they owe thousands of dollars in taxes and fees on the winnings and are instructed to pay them via Western Union.

Two St. Louis residents face sentencing in October after pleading guilty to a scam targeting retirees from across the country.

Authorities say 32-year-old Andre DePass and 24-year-old Jayneise Hampton pleaded guilty Monday to several charges. A third suspect, 33-year-old Nollis Hudson of Montego Bay, Jamaica, remains at large.