FBI Warns Public of Gold Scams
The FBI is alerting the public to scams involving gold where scammers impersonate government officials and use couriers to collect cash. This criminal activity has resulted in more than $55 million in losses reported to the agency’s complaint center between May and December of last year.
Protecting Against Scams
One common tactic used by scammers is to claim that victims’ accounts have been compromised and recommend liquidating their assets to protect themselves. Another scheme involves sending couriers to meet with victims to retrieve cash or verify transactions.
To avoid falling victim to these scams, the FBI recommends safeguarding your personal information, avoiding disclosing sensitive details, and refraining from clicking on unsolicited pop-ups. Additionally, it is advised not to contact unfamiliar phone numbers and to refrain from granting strangers access to your computer.
Insight into Gold Bar Scams
FBI officials have observed that individuals are losing substantial amounts of money – ranging from hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars – to these gold bar scams. The scammers do not discriminate and target anyone who falls for their schemes.
If you suspect you have encountered a scam, you are encouraged to report it at IC3.gov for further investigation.
