DENVER (KDVR) - The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is warning residents after multiple reports of scams involving gold bars took over a million dollars away from victims.
Deputies said in a press release that the fraud started with a pop-up message on an iPad for one victim. The message gave the victim a number to call, where she was then told her identity and accounts had been compromised.
The man on the phone told the victim that there was a gag order and she wasn't allowed to speak with anyone about her compromised accounts. Deputies said the victim was told to purchase gold bars, which would be delivered to her safe deposit box.
However, the victim was working with deputies.
When the suspects arrived to pick up the gold bars, deputies arrested Anil Kumar Dhiman, 34, and Punit Punit, 30. The suspects are accused of theft and crimes against at-risk persons, according to the sheriff's office.
“No one gets to come to Douglas County, prey on our elderly residents, steal their life savings, and get away with it,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly in a press release.
Many have reported the scam to the sheriff's office for months.
In March, an 81-year-old purchased $429,000 in gold bars and dropped them off to a man in Littleton. Because she wrote down the man's license plate, authorities said they were able to track the suspect into Illinois, where police were able to recover $1.1 million in gold bars belonging to the victim in Douglas County and another victim in Kansas City.
The suspect in this case was identified as Syed Makki, 36.
While deputies were able to arrest two suspects in Colorado, the sheriff's office said this scam has affected victims across the county.
"If something feels off or raises suspicion, trust your gut instincts. Seek advice from trusted family members, friends, or law enforcement before proceeding with any financial transactions," the sheriff's office said in a press release.
To avoid scams, deputies recommend not keeping anything a secret, not clicking on a pop-up ad and not allowing strangers remote access to your computer or bank accounts.
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