Up in the Skye: The scam version

By Phil Cobb | December 27, 2024 |

Over the past year, I’ve learned a lot about scams, scammers and the good people fighting the never-ending battle to help scam victims.

The Forum’s 12-part, yearlong series diving into the depths of the “scamdom” offered so much information from every corner of the community, that at times the evil of those taking the very life’s work from hardworking people seemed overwhelming.

Month after month, while burrowing to the bottom of the incredibly deep and overfilled scam barrel, it became more and more difficult to keep the scams straight. While I always work to keep facts at the forefront of every story, talking to victims, I found it even more crucial to get the details as perfect as possible.

Details are important. Maybe one specific thing will stick in the mind of a reader when they receive a scary phone call from someone purporting to be their granddaughter in need of bail money, or telling them they’ve won the Publishers Clearing House prize. Maybe one thing that one victim said will be the key to help a reader recognize a scam and cause them to hang up the phone.

I spoke with three scam victims this year. And while I did try to find more victims to tell their stories — speaking to a few who didn’t want their stories told and at least one who was willing to share openly, but it was never the right time — now, at the end of the series, I’m sure glad it wasn’t more.

It is difficult to interview someone who has experienced such loss and still get all the salient facts. While talking with the victims, I wanted to be a kindred spirit, hold their hand or any number of other things to try to soften what they were having to relive to tell me. Whether face-to-face or on the phone, each person I spoke with I had an open conversation with. Whether embarrassed, sad or mad, they had very strong feelings about their ordeal, and their pain and loss of trust in people was evident.

I spoke to the nicest woman — who I’m certain would do her best to open all of the windows in her home before hurting a fly — and felt the strength it took to just make it through her story.

With near constant contact by the scammers, calling her home at all hours of the day, she stopped eating, lost weight and became frightened to be home. Before the scam began, she had a bank account with $57,000 in it. By the end of the scam, that account was empty, she was in debt and had signed away her car in a title loan. Thanks to local law enforcement officers who were able to recover much of her funds, she’s back on more stable financial ground.

However, the ordeal was harrowing. Impressed by her ability to pause slightly when overwhelmed by a memory and steadily continue as soon as she felt in control, I know how difficult it was for her to share the details of her ordeal.

I spoke to Roland Tullberg, who was adamant about sharing his story and his name, because while embarrassment was possible as a former superintendent of the Maryville R-II School District falling for a scam, he knew just how important it is to educate others. He resolutely sat in the Jim Fall Interview Room at The Forum and openly expressed himself about falling for a scammer’s promise of millions. He wanted to give away much of the money to help others and the community, “that has been so good to me.” He lost $4,000 in the process and has continued the effort to teach others about the signs of a scam.

A Nodaway County man lost some money to a romance scammer, but thanks to quick action by staff at local retailer Rapid Elite, and local law enforcement, he was able to get about $1,800 back.

The man scammed was saddened to learn the fact that the “woman” he had been talking to was scamming him. They had video chatted. She had never asked for anything, instead waiting for him to offer his financial help.

“Friedrich,” as we called him at his request to allow him to feel safe to tell his tale, told me that the woman he had been talking to had even sent him flowers. He really had no idea he was being scammed. That was an important difference to me, from other victims I had spoken with. To know that scammers can play the long game over months and be so personal, that makes it all together even more frightening.

Thankfully people in this community are willing to help. From detectives at the Maryville Police Department to bankers, financial advisers, retailers and even cashiers, when it comes to scams, this community does look out for each other.

As we work together to learn about the latest scams and educate others about them, it can only help to decrease the funds being taken from this area. I’m so very glad to learn that while comparing 2023 to 2024, scam reports and calls from victims not filing official reports decreased at MPD, according to Detective Sgt. Adam James.

Education is key to combating scams. Four things I learned from the series:

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t try to get an amazing deal when it seems ridiculous.

If you don’t recognize the phone number don’t answer. Let the person leave you a message and the judge whether or not to call them back.

Don’t be too embarrassed to ask for help. Law enforcement officers want to catch onto the scam as early as possible. The earlier they are contacted, the more likely they can help.

Education is key. Learn about scams. Be aware that there is always someone who wants your money. Share what you glean about a scammy situation with someone else.

This has been an incredible experience, listening to victims, learning from law enforcement and sharing the facts about scams. I hope it helped at least one person.

Skye Pournazari is the Managing Editor of The Maryville Forum.