Barbara Trickle, an 80-year-old woman from Las Vegas, Nevada, has pleaded guilty to playing a major role in a prize notice scam that targeted elderly people across the United States and beyond. The scam tricked thousands into sending money in hopes of winning fake prizes, and the operation brought in more than $15 million from unsuspecting victims.
Trickle admitted in court that she worked with others to send out millions of fraudulent mailings that made people believe they had won large cash prizes. The letters told victims that they had been specially chosen to receive a prize and needed to pay a small fee—usually between $20 and $50—to claim it. But the promises were false.
No one ever received the big cash reward. Instead, victims were sent a cheap trinket or a basic “report” about sweepstakes opportunities. The scam didn’t stop after the first mailing. Once someone replied to one letter, they were flooded with more, pressuring them to keep sending money.
Most of the victims were older adults, a group that scammers often target because they may be more likely to trust official-looking messages and less familiar with fraud tactics. This large-scale scam ran for over six years, from 2012 until February 2018.
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How Barbara Trickle Operated the Fraud
In Las Vegas, Barbara Trickle ran a printing and mailing company. She used her company to produce the fraudulent prize notices and supervised the entire process. This included designing, printing, and mailing the deceptive letters. Trickle made sure the mailings looked official, using formal language and trustworthy names to fool people.
The scam was carefully organized. After a victim sent in money, their name was likely added to a list of responders—making them a target for even more fake mail. These repeated efforts were designed to squeeze as much money as possible from vulnerable individuals.
The total amount stolen during the years-long fraud was over $15 million. This money came from people who believed they were going to receive life-changing prizes but instead were misled and exploited.
In February 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) acted. They carried out multiple search warrants and worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to shut down the fraudulent mail operation. These actions stopped the scheme and began the process of holding those involved accountable.
Officials Speak Out on Protecting the Elderly
Yaakov Roth, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, stated following the guilty plea that “the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes.” Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the Postal Inspection Service for their exhaustive inquiry.
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“The defendant and her co-conspirators defrauded the most vulnerable members of our communities by promising them sweepstakes winnings,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS Criminal Investigations Group. He underlined the agency’s continuous efforts to safeguard senior citizens and combat fraud.
The case was led by Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Consumer Protection Branch, with key support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Authorities are urging people to be cautious of sweepstakes, lottery, or prize notifications—especially those that ask for money up front. Common signs of fraud include messages that use official-sounding names, claim you’ve won a prize you never signed up for, or ask for fees to claim a reward.
If you or someone you know receives a suspicious letter, phone call, or email promising money in exchange for a payment, it’s important to report it and avoid responding. Fraudsters often rely on trust and urgency to trick their victims.
