What looked like a promising investment opportunity turned into a nearly $1 million loss.

In this episode, host Adrienna Hines sits down with Commissioner James Brown and criminal detective James Gunderson to break down the case of “R.P.,” a Montana man who was targeted by a sophisticated “pig butchering” scheme.

The scammers posed as representatives of a well-known investment firm, built R.P.’s trust and directed him to send money through wire transfers, Cash App and cryptocurrency. Fake investment websites showed his account growing to more than $3 million, but when he tried to withdraw his money, the story changed. His account was supposedly frozen, and the scammers demanded even more money to release it.

By the time it was over, R.P. had lost nearly $1 million, with hundreds of thousands of dollars moving through the account of another scam victim being used as a money mule.

Commissioner Brown and Detective Gunderson walk through how these schemes work, the warning signs that can reveal an investment scam, and what investigators are doing to help protect victims.

The lesson in this episode is clear: Stop. Drop. Report. If something doesn't feel right, stop what you're doing, drop communication and report it to authorities.

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What happens when a familiar name, a social media message and the promise of a crypto investment collide?

In this episode of Fraud Files, host Adrienna Hines sits down with Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown and special guest Jason Gunderson, a criminal detective out of Park County, to unpack a Montana case involving an Elon Musk impersonator, a supposed cryptocurrency investment called “Token X,” and more than $150,000 in losses.

They follow the scam from first contact through 28 cryptocurrency transfers, while Gunderson brings a law enforcement perspective to how these cases unfold, why they can be difficult to investigate, and the red flags that can help others avoid becoming the next victim.

Real case. Real money. And one very recognizable name that wasn’t who it seemed.

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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 Sidney 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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.