(Des Moines) Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller honored five Iowans for their efforts to stop the abuse and fraud of their fellow community members during the office’s inaugural Consumer Protection Hero recognition ceremony today in the Iowa Capitol Rotunda.
The AG’s Consumer Protection Hero award was created to shine a spotlight on the work everyday citizens do in their communities. Whether these individuals use their knowledge of scams to educate the public or recognize when others may be the target for scams or financial exploitation, they are heroes in the eyes of the AG’s Consumer Protection Division.
One individual recognized was Scott Kilmer of Exira. Scott Kilmer was driving a customer to a bank in West Des Moines in early 2020. The trip wasn’t out of the ordinary for the Yellow Cab driver, but as their conversation continued, it was apparent something was amiss. The 83-year-old woman was preparing to withdraw $38,000 from her account and transfer it to someone she didn’t know. She received a call from a man claiming to be with the IRS, urgently telling her a family member needed funds to pay a bill or he’d be sent to jail. Kilmer knew this was the hallmark of a scam. He and a bank representative spoke with the woman and convinced her she was being scammed. Kilmer then notified the Attorney General’s Office, providing information about those who attempted to scam the woman.
The others recognized include Randy Meier of Clinton, Jeanne Scheer of Wheatland, and Carla Houston and Wendi BeLieu of Des Moines.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office is accepting nominations for the 2022 Consumer Protection Hero awards.
Nominations of those who act to protect their community members from abuse and fraud can be made online.
The 2022 Consumer Protection Hero recognition ceremony will be held in the spring of 2022. Details of the ceremony will be released at a later date.
(Pictured (l to r): Randy Meier, Carla Houston, Attorney General Tom Miller and Scott Kilmer.)
