Excuse me, but this opportunity to invest in a gold bar is probably a scam

Thehe The price of gold has increased In the last week, which can give Swindlers more opportunities to lure his victims.

The rock of the gold band sounds like a horse, no one could fall, but it happens. The scheme includes casualties, usually elderly citizens, sinking their savings in gold, silver or some other precious metal to protect their assets after being convinced of doing it by a contractor.

If a fraudster acquires your confidence, it may seem a good idea to follow their advice and invest in gold, a precious metal that is usually a healthy investment in times of economic uncertaintyS But after the victim entrusted the gold bars of the storage cheater – a surprise – the cheater is never heard again.

The Golden Terms are on the rise. FBI first warned of Increasing these frauds in January 2024, but their popularity has increased.

Thehe FBI issued another warning Last summer, more specially, warning residents in Sarasota County, Florida, against the backdrop of complaints that fraud with a gold bar had dumped the elderly from over $ 300,000. Accidentally Cases continue to pop up By the end of 2024 this year, the Golden Bar frauds had cheated victims in Portland, Oregonand New YorkS

What is the fraud with the gold band?

Gold -tape frauds usually work this way: a bad actor will come up with a complex story and present himself to a civil servant, perhaps from the FBI or the Ministry of Finance, to convince someone that their money is not safe in the bank.

The criminal will insist on the victim to remove his money from their savings account And invest it in gold. If they listen, they either find a local gold trader or Order it onlineS Then the victim will meet with the fraudster posing as a courier who will take the gold, promising to deliver it to a more festive place. They can even give a receipt to the victim. However, the courier will hide with gold.

Why do criminals turn to a gold band fraud?

The scammers have lately focused on gold for several reasons: gold is a valuable commodity and difficult to trace. People are also easier to move from a banking system.

Technical companies and banks make it difficult for user accounts to receive viruses or be hacked, according to Robert Siciliano, a security analyst and author of the confidentiality of identity theft: security protection and fraud prevention.

“Information security is the best thing that has ever been,” Siciliano said, “And the most effective way to circumvent all this security is, of course, to hack people.”

Gold has a reputation that is valuable

Like how other investment vehicles can hesitate in price, It can also be goldS While doing well right now, this may not always be the case. Still, criminals know There is money that should be made of goldS

“With gold (sale) up to $ 3,000 an ounce, it has never been more attractive to scammers to strengthen and get involved in the rifle approach and direct mass populations with this particular Ruse,” Siciliano said.

He added that 98% of people would not be sucked in talking to an artist about transferring their money to gold, but if 2% of people who are targeted talk to a fraudster, that’s all that is needed to be profitable fraud.

People trust the gold

People do not always trust the economy, but they tend to trust gold.

“Because the value of assets, such as precious metals, such as gold, is experiencing a rapid increase in value and attracts widespread attention, fraudsters will jump on the trend and use it to their advantage,” said Darius Kingsley, Managing Director and Head of JPMorgan Chase users. “Gold is often sought as hedging against economic instability or inflation.”

Gold is essentially impossible to trace

The gold bars have serial numbers, but it is impossible to say where the metal comes from once melted. While if you are a criminal trying to sell stolen works of art or car, if the police catch up with you, it is relatively easy for law enforcement to determine that something fish is happening.

Gold has power over our imagination

At school you learned about tHe has a gold tide since 1849S If you are a James Bond fan, you may be familiar with the Goldfinger movie and how the villain plans to steal gold from Fort Knox. Television ads often press gold as a healthy, safe investment.

If a criminal has convinced you Your bank account is not sureIt makes sense for them to offer gold rather than persuade someone to invest their savings in life RodS Gold is known and sounds like a logical investment.

How to Avoid Golden Fraud

It is important to remember that if someone offers unsolicited advice on removing your money from your bank and putting them elsewhere, you should be guarded. It is unlikely that the government official will give you such advice. Pay attention to your intuition. If you feel that something may be excluded, it probably is.

If your reliable bank associate raises concerns about the legitimacy of your withdrawal, listen to them. They are trained to monitor suspicious transactions. Although they can’t prevent you from withdrawing your money, they can tell you if the reasons behind the towing sounds weird.

If you take out your money, banks and credit unions will not be able to recover the money, according to Jennifer Halenbeck, a collection and fraud manager in Credit Union Wasatch PeaksS

What to do if you have fallen for the scam with the gold band

Unfortunately, the recovery of lost funds with this type of fraud is unlikely. However, this does not mean that you have nothing to do.

Call the police immediately. If you have met a courier or have had courier gold from your home, the thief may still stay in the area or there may be evidence that the police can gather.

Contact your bank. Until your bank is required to refund you, if you have taken out the money yourself, letting them know about fraud can help them raise awareness. Now, if your bank has been robbed, whether from a masked shooter or a cyberhaker, you will get your money back. That’s why banks are FDIC Insured And theft like this is not the customer’s fault. But in the case of a gold band fraud, you have been lured to be a robber.

Hallenbeck said it was still a good idea to call your bank or credit union if you were deceived. They usually submit a report with the FBI on behalf of their members. The Bank may also take additional precautions such as freezing your account or signal it to prevent future fraud.

Contact these government agencies. Thehe Federal Commercial Commission He always wants to hear from people who are unfortunate victims of fraud. FBI Center for Complaints on Internet Crime It is also an excellent resource and they may want to get involved in your case. Your State Prosecutor’s Office I will probably be glad to hear about your situation.