An older Long Island woman was preparing to use about $140,000 of her savings to buy gold when Suffolk County detectives stepped in and stopped the money from disappearing, officials said.
The scam began with a computer pop-up, according to News 12 Long Island. Officials said the woman was told her bank account had been compromised and that she needed to buy a one-kilogram gold bar to protect her money.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and other officials warned Monday that scammers are targeting older residents through gold-bar scams, often posing as tech-support workers, bank representatives, government officials, or law enforcement.
No arrests have been made in the Suffolk cases, and officials said the investigation remains pending.
The Scam Started With a Computer Pop-Up
The woman responded to a pop-up that appeared on her computer, Patch reported.
Officials said the person on the other end claimed to be providing technology support, then told her that her computer had a virus and that her bank accounts had been compromised.
The woman was told to move her money into gold for safekeeping. Scammers also warned her to keep the transaction secret, a pressure tactic that can keep victims from calling relatives, banks, police, or anyone else who might interrupt the scheme.
A bank investigator became concerned after learning that the woman was having checks issued to purchase precious metals and contacted police, Patch reported.
Detectives Realized the Scammers Could Hear Them
Suffolk County Police Department Financial Crimes Unit detectives Thomas Perillo and Anthony DeLuca went to the woman’s home while the scam was still unfolding.
At first, the woman was reluctant to explain what was happening because the scammers had told her not to tell anyone, according to Patch.
As the detectives spoke with her, Perillo realized that the people controlling or monitoring the computer connection could hear the conversation inside the home. He unplugged the computer, cutting off the connection.
DeLuca then contacted a bank representative and had two checks made out to a gold company canceled, allowing the approximately $140,000 to be returned to the woman’s account, Patch reported.
Detectives also helped the woman set up two-factor authentication, arranged for her accounts to be flagged for suspicious transactions, and had the computer checked for malware. Officials said the scammers had planned to send a courier to her home the next evening to collect the gold.
A Jeweler Said Kilo-Bar Requests Raised Concern
News 12 reported that David Gordon, owner of Whitman Jewelry and Coins in Melville, said two customers came to his store in the last six months wanting to buy a kilogram bar of gold.
Gordon said one transaction initially looked normal, but the store later learned the customer had been scammed. When another customer came in with similar details, the request raised concern.
Both customers were insisting on buying a kilo bar, which Gordon said was unusual. He told News 12 that the store called detectives to ask them to check it out.
For families, banks, and gold dealers, that moment may be the last chance to stop a loss. Once a victim hands gold or cash to a courier, investigators may have little time to trace it before it is moved again.
Suffolk Lawmakers Want a 48-Hour Hold
Suffolk County lawmakers are proposing a local bill aimed at slowing large gold purchases tied to suspected scams.
News 12 reported that the proposal would require businesses to display a warning sign and impose a 48-hour hold on first-time buyers attempting to purchase more than $50,000 in gold.
The proposal would also require staff to conduct a brief interview with any purchaser who is 60 or older and provides proof of age, according to News 12.
Patch reported that the proposed questions would include why the purchase is being made, whether someone instructed the customer to buy the metal, whether the customer was told to give it to someone for safekeeping, the source of the funds, and whether the buyer has placed additional gold orders with other dealers.
No Real Agency Tells You To Buy Gold for Protection
The Federal Trade Commission says no one from the government will tell a person to buy and deliver gold bars, move money, or give cash to anyone.
The FBI has also warned that scammers may pose as government agents, tech-support workers, bank representatives, or family-emergency callers before sending a courier to collect cash or gold from a victim.
The warning signs in the Suffolk case are practical ones families can watch for: a sudden computer pop-up, a claim that a bank account or computer is compromised, instructions to keep the situation secret, pressure to act immediately, a large gold order, or a courier pickup.
Anyone who gets this kind of call, pop-up, text, or email should stop communicating with the caller, disconnect remote access if possible, and call the bank, police, or the real agency through a verified number. Do not use any number, link, or email address supplied by the person making the demand.
What Families Should Check Before the Gold Is Gone
Families should look for sudden large withdrawals, cashier’s checks, gold orders, new wire-transfer instructions, remote-access software, unfamiliar two-factor authentication changes, or an older relative becoming secretive about a supposed bank, government, or tech-support investigation.
If a scam is already underway, preserve computer pop-ups, phone numbers, emails, texts, bank records, cashier’s checks, gold dealer receipts, courier instructions, remote-access app names, and any names or badge numbers the caller used.
Residents who believe they are being targeted can contact the Suffolk County Police Department Financial Crimes Unit at 631-852-6820 or the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Financial Crimes Bureau at 631-853-5602. Fraud can also be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.