Senior Scam Prevention and Fraud Resources in Wyoming
Wyoming seniors reported $6 million in elder fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, with 397 victims aged 60 and older. This page provides Wyoming-specific scam prevention resources, official reporting contacts, and five years of FBI elder fraud data for the state.
Already been scammed? Read our First 24 Hours Emergency Guide for critical steps to take immediately.
I. Overview: Wyoming’s Senior Population and Key Cities
As of 2024, Wyoming has a population of approximately 580,000, with around 106,000 residents aged 65 and older, making up 18.3% of the state’s total population. Wyoming’s wide rural landscape, low population density, and high rate of seniors living alone or in remote areas can make older adults particularly vulnerable to scams , especially those using phone, mail, and internet deception.
Wyoming presents a mixed picture in 2025: total losses were $5.9 million (#51 nationally), yet the state has the #15 highest per-capita victim rate. Two major categories decreased: investment scams fell 55% and romance scams dropped 53%. Meanwhile, lottery/sweepstakes surged 647% and government impersonation rose 212%. Rural isolation can delay detection, making awareness crucial.
The largest cities where senior scams are most frequently reported include:
- Cheyenne (approx. 65,000 people)
- Casper (approx. 58,000 people)
- Laramie (approx. 32,000 people)
II. 2025 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted Wyoming’s Seniors
In 2025, Wyoming had 397 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $5,923,260 — up 49% in victims but down 32% in losses compared to 2024 (267 victims / $8.6M).
Loss by Crime Type
| Crime Type | 2025 Loss | 2024 Loss | Change |
| Investment | $2,072,493 | $4,609,991 | -55% |
| Tech Support | $1,030,220 | $799,175 | +29% |
| Romance | $334,294 | $708,915 | -53% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | $664,010 | $88,900 | +647% |
| Extortion | $15,461 | $31,459 | -51% |
| Government Impersonation | $122,400 | $39,270 | +212% |
Elder Fraud Loss Trajectory — Wyoming
5-Year Elder Fraud Trend — Wyoming (2021—2025)
| Year | Victims (60+) | Total Loss | YoY Change | Nat’l Rank |
| 2021 | 181 | $4,498,432 | — | #40 |
| 2022 | 209 | $5,265,283 | +17% | #48 |
| 2023 | 190 | $5,689,358 | +8% | #48 |
| 2024 | 267 | $8,648,675 | +52% | #47 |
| 2025 | 397 | $5,923,260 | -32% | #51 |
| 5-Year Total | 1,244 | $30,025,008 | +32% (2021—2025) | — |
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Annual Reports, 2021—2025. Covers victims aged 60 and older. National rank is by total dollar loss among 52 states/territories. National totals: $1.7B (2021), $3.1B (2022), $3.4B (2023), $4.9B (2024), $7.7B (2025) — $20.8 billion stolen from American seniors over five years.
Top Crime Types Targeting Wyoming Seniors (2025 vs. 5-Year)
| Crime Type | 2025 Victims | 2025 Loss | 5-Year Total | Growth (2021—25) |
| Investment | 22 | $2,072,493 | $12,539,312 | +43% |
| Tech Support | 54 | $1,030,220 | $4,326,155 | +697% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | 11 | $664,010 | $1,728,087 | +2,732% |
| Personal Data Breach | 31 | $593,812 | $697,033 | +4,433% |
| Romance | 26 | $334,294 | $2,958,728 | -78% |
| BEC | 10 | $294,011 | $2,443,141 | -72% |
Top 6 crime types by 2025 losses. Growth calculated from 2021 to 2025. For national crime type trends, see our Crime Type Migration Analysis.
What the data reveals: Wyoming’s elder fraud losses totaled $5.9 million in 2025, with 397 victims — up 49% in victim count but down 32% in losses from 2024. Two major categories decreased: investment scams fell 55% (from $4.6 million to $2.1 million) and romance scams dropped 53%. Lottery/sweepstakes surged 647% from $88.9K to $664K, and government impersonation rose 212%. Statewide, that comes to roughly one senior victim for every 1,480 Wyoming residents.
National context: Wyoming ranks #51 in total losses — second to last — but #15 in per-capita victim rate (67.56 per 100,000). This is one of the starkest contrasts between total and per-capita rankings of any state: Wyoming’s small population means that even modest victim counts translate to a high per-person rate. The fact that losses actually decreased 32% while victims increased 49% suggests scammers are extracting less money per incident, possibly because awareness campaigns are helping victims recognize fraud sooner.
For the full national picture, including how Wyoming compares to every other state, visit our national hub page with interactive data and rankings.
III. Emergency and Official Contacts
Local Police Departments – Elder Fraud and Financial Crimes
1. Cheyenne Police Department – Investigations Division
- Phone: (307) 637-6525 (non-emergency)
- Website: cheyennepd.org
- Handles elder fraud, identity theft, and scam complaints.
2. Casper Police Department – Fraud Reporting
- Phone: (307) 235-8278 (non-emergency)
- Website: casperwy.gov
- Responds to local reports of scams and financial exploitation.
3. Laramie Police Department – General Inquiries
- Phone: (307) 721-2526
- Website: cityoflaramie.org
- Contact to report suspicious financial activity and elder abuse.
FBI and Federal Scam Reporting
FBI Denver Field Office (covers Wyoming)
- Phone: (303) 629-7171
- Website: fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/denver
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Website: www.ic3.gov
- Use for reporting phishing, tech scams, financial fraud, and online threats.
Wyoming Attorney General – Consumer Protection
Consumer Protection Unit – Wyoming Attorney General’s Office
- Consumer Hotline: (307) 777-6397
- Website: ag.wyo.gov/law-office-division/consumer-protection-and-antitrust-unit
- Provides investigation and support for senior fraud, deceptive business practices, and scam recovery.
Statewide Elder Services and Medicare Fraud Support
Wyoming Adult Protective Services (APS)
- Report Abuse: (800) 457-3659
- Website: health.wyo.gov
- Investigates elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation statewide.
Wyoming Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
- Phone: (800) 856-4398
- Website: wysmp.org
- Assists with Medicare billing scams, fraud alerts, and education.
Wyoming Department of Health – Aging Division
- General Info: (800) 442-2766
- Website: dfs.wyo.gov/services/elderly-and-disabled/adult-protection-servicesaging
- Offers elder rights advocacy, caregiver resources, legal support, and fraud prevention.
Know the Signs. Take Action. Help Others.
- Wyoming seniors lose millions annually to fraud schemes, many of which start with a simple phone call or email.
- Always verify requests for money, personal data, or urgent payments , and talk to someone you trust before acting.
- Visit our Education Center for scam alerts, step-by-step response guides, and printable resources.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, report it right away. You’re not alone.
Recent Wyoming scam news
Recent news coverage of scams affecting Wyoming seniors, updated from our alerts desk. Each item links to the original outlet; victims and defendants are kept anonymous.
Email scam hits Johnson County organizations
A Wyoming senior center and other local groups were hit by a fake proposal email that spread to their contacts.
Read at Buffalo Bulletin →$43 million lost to scammers in Wyoming in 2024
New figures show Wyoming residents lost about $43 million to scams in 2024, with older adults among the hardest hit.
Read at Buffalo Bulletin →A physician explains why memory loss raises the risk of falling for a scam
A physician who also cared for her mother through Alzheimer's disease writes that memory loss and mild cognitive impairment are linked to a higher risk of falling for scams and financial exploitation. Part of the danger, she explains, is a condition called anosognosia, where a person with cognitive decline may not recognize that money is missing or that they were deceived. She recommends families start money conversations early, before decline sets in, treat scam awareness as a shared family responsibility rather than a private embarrassment, use phones that screen or block unknown callers, review accounts and credit reports together regularly, and consider a limited power of attorney while the person can still take part in that decision.
Read at Being Patient →Before the holidays, make a family plan to spot scams
With holiday calls and visits picking up, a fraud risk analyst is urging families to agree on a verification plan before a crisis call ever comes in, covering tactics like a caller claiming a grandchild has been arrested, a fake bank or government warning that an account is at risk, a tech support pop-up, or an online relationship that turns into a investment pitch. The core advice is to pause, verify, and talk: hang up, call the person or agency back using a number you already know, and loop in a trusted family member rather than acting alone. Suspicious contacts can be reported to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Agreeing on this plan now, before the holiday season's spike in calls and visits, gives families a calm playbook instead of a panicked decision.
Read at Philadelphia Today →Fake 'psychic' letters promising a windfall defrauded thousands of older Americans of millions
Federal prosecutors describe a mail fraud scheme that sent personalized letters made to look like they came from a psychic, telling recipients they were due a financial windfall that required a payment to 'unlock.' Thousands of people across the country, many of them elderly or otherwise vulnerable, sent checks that were deposited into accounts opened under the fake psychic names and then moved overseas, collecting more than 4 million dollars over several years. No real windfall, inheritance, or prize ever requires you to pay money up front to receive it. If a letter like this arrives, the safe move is to slow down, do not mail a check or payment, and talk it over with a family member or call the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov before responding.
Read at JNS →Medicare 'brace scam' case shows how to catch durable medical equipment fraud on your statement
A major federal case made news this week over a nationwide scheme that billed Medicare for back, knee, shoulder, and wrist braces that patients never needed. Fraud operators used offshore call centers and sham telemedicine visits to generate unnecessary prescriptions, then billed Medicare for the equipment. The scheme generated more than $365 million in fraudulent claims, with Medicare paying out roughly $199 million before it was caught. Beneficiaries can protect themselves by reviewing their Medicare Summary Notice for any brace or equipment charges they do not recognize, declining unsolicited calls offering a free brace, and contacting their local Senior Medicare Patrol program if something looks wrong.
Read at Medical Daily →IV. Learn More: Wyoming Scam Prevention Guides
Explore Wyoming-specific guides on the most common scams targeting seniors in your state:
- Tech Support Scams in Wyoming — Learn to recognize fake pop-ups, phone calls, and remote access schemes.
- Investment Scams in Wyoming — Protect your retirement savings from fraudulent advisors and crypto scams.
- Romance Scams in Wyoming — Spot the warning signs of fake online relationships designed to steal money.
- Government Impersonation Scams in Wyoming — Know what real government agencies will never ask you to do.
- How to Report Scams in Wyoming — Step-by-step guide to reporting fraud and starting recovery.
For national-level data on each scam type, see our Investment, Tech Support, Romance, and Government Impersonation national guides.
See how Wyoming compares. Curious where Wyoming ranks in the national picture? Stolen Trust, our 2026 special study, ranks every state and territory using five years of FBI data and lays out one practical plan to fix elder fraud.