What are the red flags of this scam?

No government agency — not the FBI, FTC, SSA, or IRS — will ever tell you to buy gold bars or coins • A caller claims your bank account or savings are frozen, hacked, or tied to a criminal investigation • You are told to withdraw large amounts of cash or buy gold at a coin dealer before anyone can find out • A courier or stranger arranges to meet you at your home or a nearby parking lot to collect the gold or cash • Caller stays on the phone the entire time you are buying gold, instructing you what to say to the dealer • You are told to keep this secret from family members — 'for your protection' • Caller IDs show real government agency numbers — scammers spoof them easily

What should I do if this happened to me?

Hang up. No agency will ever ask you to liquidate savings into gold or cash for safekeeping • Call a trusted family member or your real bank directly using the number on your card or statement • If a courier is at your door and you are uncertain, do not open the door — call 911 • If you already sent money or gold, call your local police immediately and file a report with the FBI IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov — recovery may still be possible if you act fast • Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.

CRITICAL government impersonation Last reported: Sep 5, 2026 Share

A caller says your savings are at risk — then a courier comes to collect your gold or cash

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. A caller impersonating the FBI, SSA, IRS, or your bank claims your accounts are compromised and you must convert your savings to gold bars or cash to "protect" them. A courier then visits your home to pick it up.

A caller impersonating the FBI, SSA, IRS, or your bank claims your accounts are compromised and you must convert your savings to gold bars or cash to "protect" them. A courier then visits your home to pick it up.

Also known as: gold bar scam, cash courier scam, precious metals liquidation scam, gold coin pickup scam, government courier scam

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Hang up. No agency will ever ask you to liquidate savings into gold or cash for safekeeping
2 Call a trusted family member or your real bank directly using the number on your card or statement
3 If a courier is at your door and you are uncertain, do not open the door — call 911
4 If you already sent money or gold, call your local police immediately and file a report with the FBI IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov — recovery may still be possible if you act fast
5 Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.

Red flags

⚠ No government agency — not the FBI, FTC, SSA, or IRS — will ever tell you to buy gold bars or coins
⚠ A caller claims your bank account or savings are frozen, hacked, or tied to a criminal investigation
⚠ You are told to withdraw large amounts of cash or buy gold at a coin dealer before anyone can find out
⚠ A courier or stranger arranges to meet you at your home or a nearby parking lot to collect the gold or cash
⚠ Caller stays on the phone the entire time you are buying gold, instructing you what to say to the dealer
⚠ You are told to keep this secret from family members — 'for your protection'
⚠ Caller IDs show real government agency numbers — scammers spoof them easily

Known variants

Caller claims the victim's bank account was used to buy illegal firearms, then transfers to a fake 'NYPD detective' or 'U.S. Marshal' demanding the victim convert savings to gold bars for 'safekeeping.' A courier collects the gold. Run from Cambodia-based scam centers staffed by trafficked workers contacting victims via WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams.

Last seen: 7/19/2026
Scammers posing as tech support or government officials direct elderly victims to withdraw bulk cash, seal it in packages, and mail it to short-term rental addresses. No in-person courier — the postal method is harder to detect. Lead defendant in a $64M, 2,000-package scheme pleaded guilty June 30, 2026.

Last seen: 8/1/2026
Scammer books a rideshare (Uber or Lyft) to the victim's address after they agree to withdraw cash. The driver is told they are picking up documents and has no knowledge of the crime. The scammer gives the victim the driver's name and car description to create trust. Law enforcement in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee all issued warnings in 2026.

Last seen: 8/28/2026

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Known variants

Sources