DES MOINES – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, Monday (today), 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 in the Iowa Capitol Rotunda. Miller said  “Today, we honored these exemplary citizens for their dedication and service to those in their communities who have been or could have been the target of fraudsters. These individuals have gone above and beyond to protect their fellow citizens.”

One of those who was honored, was Scott Kilmer, of Exira. 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.

(Pictured (l to r): Randy Meier, Carla Houston, Attorney General Tom Miller and Scott Kilmer.)

The other who were honored can be found HERE. 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.