SEATTLE — A scam using gold bars that targets elderly people and people for whom English is a second language has cost people in King County more than $4 million in just three months, according to the Sheriff’s Office and FBI.
“Fraudsters exert significant psychological pressure on their victims, urging them to stay silent and to act quickly before they have time to actually reflect or consult trusted family, friends, or advisors,” said Gerald Burkin, the special agent in charge at the FBI Seattle Field Office.
The urgency and fear tactics, Burkin and other investigators say, pressure victims to act before they’re able to process they’re being scammed.
The King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case of a 78-year-old Shoreline woman named Shane who was scammed out of $3 million in five months.
Shane says it started when she was deleting old emails and suddenly flashing messages appeared on her screen, urging her to call two phone numbers that claimed to be bank fraud hotlines.
“I called them; they had me take the money I had just put into my checking account to pay. Some bills out of the bank and then sent me to three different horrible and scary places to purchase Bitcoins.”
Then, they had her buy gift cards and gold bars.
Two people, one of whom said his name was Kevin, posed as officials trying to help her, saying withdrawing the money was the only way to catch the “real” criminals.
“These so-called government representatives claim that the victim’s money is somehow compromised and that they need to move their money into a government-protected account,” said U.S. Assistant Attorney Lauren Watts Stanair.
For Shane, one time she met a courier in a church parking lot, and the second time it was behind a Verizon store. Each time, the courier had a password written on a dollar bill that was read to a person Shane was on the phone with. After each drop, Shane would receive a receipt she believed was legitimate.
“They sent me the receipts from the Federal Reserve showing me that my account with my gold and how it was making money.”
Investigators say the scams start with a call or email using threatening language that they’re either in trouble with the law, their accounts are compromised, or a family member is in trouble.
They demand money and keep constant contact with the victim. They say if someone faces one of these situations, they should take a moment to process what is going on and call someone to get their thoughts.
If a scammer is posing as a government agency, call the agency to check in.
Watts Steiner said government entities will never ask for gold or precious metals.
“We’re targeting these overseas scam centers that are organizing a lot of these in-person actions,” she said.
For Shane, she hopes sharing her story prevents someone else from falling victim.
“That shame for being scammed is not mine, and if you’ve been scammed, it’s not yours; it belongs to the scammers,” Shane said.
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