Scammers target seniors, steal $100M through gold bar scheme
Summary
The New York City Police Department is investigating a scam where seniors are tricked into paying with gold bars after scammers gain access to their computers. Victims receive fake virus warnings and calls from scammers pretending to be government officials, leading to losses totaling over $100 million nationwide.Key Facts
- Scammers send pop-up messages that claim a computer is infected with a virus.
- Victims call a number and give scammers remote access to their computers and bank accounts.
- Scammers pretend to be from the U.S. Treasury Department or police and demand payment in gold bars.
- A courier often collects the gold bars from victims’ homes, while the scammer stays on the phone.
- The scam is a nationwide problem, not limited to New York City.
- Police began investigating the scam in May 2024 with help from Homeland Security and the IRS.
- Hundreds of victims have been identified with total losses over $100 million.
- Authorities have recovered some gold bars and hope to return money to victims.
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