Montanans so far remain free of fraud.

Byline: John Harrington

Oct. 27--The president of the regional Better Business Bureau noted that while a couple of recent high-profile scams have used Helena addresses, the scammers aren't targeting Montanans.

"I have been trying to figure out, why Montana," said Jan Quintrall, president of the Spokane-based BBB that serves eastern Washington, north Idaho and Montana. "Montana and South Dakota are the most popular places to set up these shills, and I think it's because people think Montana, they think, 'It's the West, people there are honest.' "

Quintrall pointed to a pair of recently uncovered scams, one involving magazine sales and another involving loans that require a fee payment up front, were publicized with false Helena addresses but didn't count any Montanans as victims.

"We need to figure out a way to get this stuff out on a national basis," since people across the country are being targeted, she said.

Quintrall encouraged anyone who's been victimized by a loan scam to report their loss to the Better Business Bureau.

"The more victims we have, the bigger the case looks and the more likely it is that the FBI will take a look at it," she said.