In this vital episode of The Local Podcast, host Clay Birkeland welcomes back Dylan Clarkson, President and CEO of Pioneer Bank and Trust, for a critical conversation on the evolving landscape of financial fraud. With real-time updates from the South Dakota Bankers Association, Dylan outlines how scams—from Bitcoin traps to AI-generated voice impersonations—are becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect.

Together, Clay and Dylan explore current fraud trends, including investment cons, cybercrimes, business email compromise, and romance scams, with a special focus on those targeting older Americans. They detail how scammers coach victims to bypass bank scrutiny, using urgency and emotional manipulation to override rational decision-making.

Listeners will learn:

• How recent scams are structured and deployed in South Dakota
• Why “kindly” might be a red flag in suspicious emails
• Why increased scrutiny from your bank is a sign of protection, not intrusion
• Five (or more) practical ways to prevent yourself or loved ones from falling victim to fraud
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Whether you're a business owner, retiree, or everyday consumer, this episode provides actionable tips to stay safe in a time when digital deception is just a click—or phone call—away.

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