politics
New York authorities warn about gold bar scam targeting older adults
State’s attorney general says scammers have made off with more than $100m in past two years
TL;DR
- Scammers are using gold bars to steal money, primarily from older adults.
- Victims receive fake pop-up messages about compromised computers or accounts.
- Scammers convince victims to grant remote computer access and then pose as law enforcement.
- Victims are instructed to withdraw money, buy gold bars/coins, and hand them over for 'protection'.
- Over $100 million has been stolen in New York over the past two years.
- Similar scams have been reported in Hawaii, Maine, Washington DC, and Wisconsin.
- Authorities urge the public not to call numbers from suspicious messages, grant remote access, or transfer money based on phone calls.
- Victims should contact their financial institution directly if they suspect an issue with their bank account.
- The scam relies on creating a false sense of urgency and secrecy; hang up and contact someone trusted.