It sounds like a movie plot we've seen before... fake authority, fear and urgency, and a scammer going after someone’s savings.  All in the script, but the difference is this case is real and unfolded right here in Montana.

A 74-year-old woman is contacted by someone claiming to be with the FTC. She’s told her identity has been tied to serious crimes, instructed to buy gift cards and a burner phone, and pressured to move money out of her retirement account.

In this episode of Fraud Files, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown and Sydney Du Varney, one of the Investigator/Examiners on the case, breaks down how the scam unfolded, and the smart decisions that kept a $900 loss from becoming much more.

Seniors are frequent targets of fraud, but the tactics used in this case can work on anyone. Hear what raised the red flags, what finally exposed the scam, and the lessons we can all use to protect ourselves and those around us.