Kander warns seniors of sophisticated fraud schemes

Most of the people at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center on Friday had experience with scams and telling scammers “no.”

Brad Brune gets a call every week from someone claiming to be from the IRS, telling him he owes money, and he quickly hangs up.

Gary Estes said he gets a scam phone call between 3 and 4 p.m. every day.

Versie Ramirez she has received scam phone calls telling her she has won trips.

“You always have to be on alert,” Ramirez said.

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander told residents to report those calls to his office, although eventually he would refer them to the attorney general’s office or another agency. What Kander wanted to warn Southeast Missouri seniors about were more complicated scams — investors who come to town and join book clubs to convince people they’re friends before stealing their money; real-estate investors who show off blueprints for a piece of property that does not exist; financial advisers with investment opportunities so intricate, they seem real.

“If somebody targets you for a scam, there’s no need to be embarrassed,” Kander said. “People who do this, this is how they make their money. It’s wrong, but this is their job. ... Our job is to help you protect yourself from them.”

Kander’s main piece of advice is to call the secretary of state’s office after any financial adviser asks for an investment and wait for confirmation the adviser is registered with the state. Kander recommended this step even with an adviser the person knows or even if they come from a reputable company.

“Even the most reputable companies have a lot of folks working for them,” Kander said. “They might have one bad apple. ... A lot of scams we stop are people you know.”

Kander recommended being wary of real-estate investment on a piece of property an investor cannot physically see. He also said an investment that seems overly complicated, even after an explanation, may be fraudulent.

The secretary of state’s office has regulatory authority over the financial sector in Missouri, which includes the ability to take scam artists to court through its Securities Division.

“Whenever we bring a case against somebody, our first priority is to get as much money back as possible,” Kander said.

Southeast Missouri has encountered Ponzi schemes before, recently with Keith Monia, who allegedly fleeced nine senior citizens of $567,000. Monia faces felony charges of financial exploitation of the elderly, theft over $25,000 and forgery in Cape Girardeau and Stoddard counties. In almost every instance, Monia promised to invest a significant amount for a senior in annuities, but sent the money to day trader George Joseph, who did not invest the money.

Judge Robert Mayer granted a motion for continuance Jan. 20 on Monia’s case in Stoddard County, and a new trial date has not been established. Monia is scheduled for a pre-trial conference March 14 in Cape Girardeau Circuit Court. Monia originally was charged in Scott County, but that case was moved to Stoddard County.

Joseph later was convicted of murdering his wife and son.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

921 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.