NYPD Probes $100 Million Gold Bar Scam Hitting Hundreds of Seniors Nationwide
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Aug 6
NYPD Probes $100 Million Gold Bar Scam Hitting Hundreds of Seniors Nationwide
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Aug 6
Summary
$100 million-plus has been stolen from hundreds of victims in a gold-bar scam that NYPD says is hitting seniors in New York and across the U.S.
Fake Microsoft virus pop-ups lure victims into calling for help, then scammers gain remote access to computers and bank accounts before posing as Treasury officials or police to demand gold bars.
Couriers often collect the bars at victims' homes while a caller provides code words to make the handoff seem legitimate; NYPD cited single losses of $9 million and $5.8 million.
Since May 2024, NYPD has investigated the scheme with Homeland Security, the IRS and other police agencies, recovering some gold bars in search-warrant raids and seeking more victims to come forward.