Scammers Impersonate Federal Agents to Swindle Seniors Into Gold Bar Deliveries

WHO:

Fox News - Tom Hyslip, a former Secret Service agent and University of South Florida cybercrime professor, described the scam as the work of “organized criminal gangs.”

Fox News - Authorities arrested Jithin Sunny, a Canadian citizen charged with felony theft, in connection with the Laramie case.

Fox News - Dhavalkumar Dashrathgiri Bava was taken into custody in Wisconsin on charges of felony conspiracy to commit theft of more than $100,000 by false representation, with an enhanced penalty because the victim was elderly.

Newser - Authorities said the schemes target seniors and are often tied to organized crime networks overseas.

NY Post - Police in Wyoming and Wisconsin arrested two suspects; the FBI warned about a “sophisticated, multi-layer scam.”

WHAT:

Fox News - In Laramie, an elderly woman handed about $131,000 in gold to a courier after impostors posing as Federal Trade Commission agents told her her money was at risk and urged her to buy $460,000 in gold.

Fox News - A coin shop owner, police and the victim staged an undercover operation at a Qdoba restaurant. The planned handoff used the password “tulip”; an undercover detective posed as the victim, and Sunny was arrested.

Fox News - Sunny said he had been recruited through Instagram for a delivery job and believed he would deliver antiques; he said he was told to collect a package in Laramie and pass it to another courier.

Fox News - In Wisconsin, a victim was told to withdraw savings, buy gold bars and leave them outside for a courier after a fake virus alert led to a supposed FTC fraud department.

Newser - A Washington woman reportedly lost more than $3 million in gold after scammers gained her trust over months.

Newser - A New York gold-bar scheme reportedly stole more than $100 million from victims over two years; a separate estimate said these schemes took nearly $312 million from Americans last year.

Newser - In one reported case, officers made an arrest using chocolate coins as bait.

WHERE:

Fox News - The reported cases occurred in Laramie, Wyoming, and Marquette County, Wisconsin.

Newser - Additional schemes were reported in Washington and New York.

WHY:

Fox News - Hyslip said scammers build rapport and trust by pretending to represent a government agency or bank before asking victims for money or gold.

HOW:

Fox News - Scammers use fake federal-agent identities, false warnings about threatened bank funds, and couriers with passwords to persuade seniors to convert savings into gold and hand it over.

Fox News - Hyslip said criminals’ methods change over time, moving from “Nigerian Prince” and investment schemes to impersonating government agencies or banks.

Newser - Couriers tell victims they will protect the gold from bad actors.

(UPDATED November 10, 2026 10:00 UTC)

Two suspects were arrested in Wyoming and Wisconsin amid gold theft scams targeting seniors. In Laramie, an elderly woman handed a courier about $131,000 in gold. Scammers impersonate government agents, build trust, and use couriers; authorities warn of organized crime networks.