Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) detectives are investigating a scam in which a senior resident lost more than $500,000 in gold coins.
The victim, a woman in her 70s, was contacted by someone posing as a representative from the Federal Office of Inspector General. The scammer claimed her Social Security number had been linked to fraudulent activity and convinced her to transfer financial assets to a new, “secure” Social Security number over several months, a news release by CCSO stated.
“The scammer ultimately conned the victim into withdrawing most of her liquid assets, purchasing gold coins, and providing the coins to an ‘undercover federal agent’ with the promise of having the assets re-issued to her later,” the news release stated.
This case is part of a growing trend of scams targeting victims both locally and nationwide. To avoid falling victim, CCSO advises individuals to independently verify suspicious claims from callers by looking up official contact numbers and calling the agency directly.
The suspect who collected the coins was seen driving a light-colored SUV. Anyone with information is urged to contact CCSO’s Major Crimes Unit Tip Line at 564-397-2847.
