️ EP 26: Behind the Scams: The $15 Million Sweepstakes Scam You Never Saw Coming

Episode Overview: The Shocking Case of Barbara Trickle and the Sweepstakes Fraud Conspiracy

In this compelling episode of Behind the Scams, Nick and Sue Henley pull back the curtain on one of the most jaw-dropping elder fraud schemes ever prosecuted. At the center of the case is Barbara Trickle, an 80-year-old woman from Las Vegas who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Her role? Operating a printing and mailing business that was responsible for producing and distributing millions of fake prize notices.

These weren’t just spam letters—these were highly deceptive, personalized scams that tricked victims into believing they had won life-changing amounts of money. Victims were told they had already won prizes like $749,251 or even $1.5 million, and all they had to do was send in a small “processing fee” of $20 to $50. Thousands of victims, primarily seniors, fell for the scam. And over time, that small fee added up to a staggering $15 million in stolen funds.

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Inside the Scam: How They Manipulated and Exploited Victims

Barbara Trickle didn’t act alone. She conspired with Kimberly Stamps and John Kyle Muller, who played critical roles in running and refining the operation. Stamps, based in Arizona, managed the mailing lists, coordinated logistics, and processed victim payments. Muller, from Colorado, was the scam’s editor-in-chief—reviewing and perfecting the fraudulent mail content to make it as convincing as possible.

The scheme ran from 2012 to 2018 and relied on psychological manipulation. The scammers made their letters look official, using seals, stamps, and fake agency names like “Office of the Registrar Funding Division.” Personalized victim names, unique ID numbers, and a barrage of follow-up letters kept victims hooked. If someone responded once, they were flagged as a repeat target and added to a secret victim database managed by Trickle’s business.

The mailings implied that recipients were confirmed winners of massive cash prizes and simply needed to send a small fee to claim their reward. Victims sent checks and cash to post office boxes rented by the scammers. What did they receive? At best, a trinket of negligible value or a “report” containing public sweepstakes information. Most received absolutely nothing of value.

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Why This Case Matters: Real Lessons from a Real Indictment for Sweepstakes Fraud

Nick emphasizes the importance of reading actual indictments to understand how these crimes are committed. That’s why Stamp Out Scams includes the full federal indictment for this case on the episode page at stampoutscams.org. These documents show in detail how scams are structured—from the flow of money to the deceptive language used.

Posting these indictments serves two critical purposes: first, it educates the public about scam tactics so they can spot similar schemes; second, it empowers victims and families to better understand what happened and how justice is being pursued. Due to limitations on podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify, the PDF can...

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Behind the Scams: The Elder Fraud Case
• (00:00:47) - Major Elder Fraud Scammer Pleads Guilty
• (00:03:50) - Nevada Scammer Convicted of Prize Notice Fraud
• (00:09:57) - Co-conspirators in the Mass Mailing Prize Notice Scheme
• (00:16:27) - How To Fall for a Sweepstakes Scam
• (00:23:58) - Phishing Scammer Caught in Six Year Scheme
• (00:28:27) - How Did They Get Money From Scam Victims?
• (00:31:37) - The Use of a Victim Database in the
• (00:34:19) - Barbara Trickle Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire
• (00:38:00) - Justice Department, Postal Inspection Service Arrests Fraudster
• (00:41:47) - How Do Scammers Get You to Fall for Their Scams?
• (00:46:17) - Phishing scams that ask for large cash prizes
• (00:47:25) - Why Are Older Adults Targeted in Scam?
• (00:49