Schuyler County Attorney Warns Seniors About Nationwide “Gold Bar” Scam

Watkins Glen, NY — Schuyler County Attorney Steven J. Getman is urging senior residents and their families to be aware of a growing nationwide fraud scheme commonly referred to as the “gold bar scam,” which has led to significant financial losses for older adults in other parts of New York and across the country.

According to federal and state authorities, scammers typically contact victims by phone, email, or text, falsely claiming to be representatives of the federal government, law enforcement, or a financial institution. Victims are told their bank accounts or assets are at risk and are instructed to withdraw large sums of money to purchase gold bars or other precious metals to “protect” their savings. In some cases, victims are directed to deliver the gold to couriers or arrange shipments to the scammers.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Trade Commission, report that losses from gold bar scams reached hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide in 2024 alone, with seniors being the primary targets.

“At this time, there have been no public reports of Schuyler County residents falling victim to this scam,” said County Attorney Getman. “However, given the rapid spread of these schemes throughout New York State and neighboring regions, it is critical that our senior community be informed and vigilant.”

Key warning signs of a gold bar scam include:

• Claims that you must act immediately to protect your money

• Requests to buy gold, silver, or other valuables as a safeguard

• Instructions to keep the transaction secret from family or bank staff

• Anyone claiming to be a government agent asking for money, gold, or financial transfers

Important reminders:

• Legitimate government agencies and law enforcement will never ask you to buy or deliver gold or other valuables.

• Banks, the IRS, Social Security Administration, and law enforcement do not request payments by precious metals, wire transfer, or courier pickup.

What Schuyler County residents should do if they suspect a scam:

• Stop all contact with the individual immediately

• Do not send money, purchase gold, or share personal or financial information

Residents who believe they may have been targeted or victimized are encouraged to report the incident to:

• Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office

• New York State Attorney General’s Consumer Frauds Bureau

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) via the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

“Reporting suspected scams helps protect not only the individual involved, but also our entire community,” County Attorney Getman added. “If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and reach out for help.”

Schuyler County officials encourage family members, caregivers, and neighbors to discuss these scams with seniors and to help them recognize the warning signs before harm occurs.

For more information on avoiding scams, residents may also consult resources provided by the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI. 

Voters warned about election crimes ahead of the November 2020 election

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning to educate voters about federal election crimes and how to avoid them, and to encourage voters to report suspected violations.

According to the warning, election crimes fall into four broad categories:

• Ballot fraud
• Campaign finance violations
• Patronage offenses
• Civil rights violations, such as voter suppression or voter intimidation

“While individual states and localities have the constitutional authority and responsibility to manage elections and have their own election laws,” the FBI notes, “an election crime becomes a federal crime when one or more of the following occurs”:

• A ballot includes one or more federal candidates
• Election or polling place officials abuse their office
• The conduct involves false voter registration
• The crime is motivated by hostility toward minority protected classes
• The activity violates federal campaign finance law

The release also notes that individual states and localities have the constitutional authority and responsibility to manage elections and have their own election laws. Voters are urged to know the law, know their rights and report any suspected election crimes to the appropriate law enforcement or elections authorities. For more information, click here.

Warning: Beware of Child Sexual Abuse Material Being Displayed During Zoom Meetings

FBI Warns of Child Sexual Abuse Material Being Displayed During Zoom Meetings

During the last few months, the FBI has received more than 195 reports of incidents throughout the United States and in other countries in which a Zoom participant was able to broadcast a video depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM)...The FBI is committed to apprehending any individual who produces or distributes child sexual abuse material and is seeking the public’s assistance to identify the person or persons responsible for these egregious crimes.

• If you are the administrator or host of a Zoom meeting in which CSAM was broadcast, please contact the FBI; do not delete or destroy any of your computer logs without further direction.
• If you recorded a Zoom meeting in which child sexual abuse material was broadcast, please contact the FBI for assistance in removing the CSAM from your device.
• If you believe you are a victim of a child sexual abuse material broadcast during a Zoom event, as defined above, please contact the FBI to learn about your victim rights and possible victim assistance.
• If you know who is committing these most recent egregious crimes, please contact the FBI.
• Do not make meetings or classrooms public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: Require a meeting password; Use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.
• Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted, publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific attendees.
• Manage screensharing options. In Zoom, change screensharing to “Host Only.”

For more information, click here.

Public asked to report phone scams involving Federal Court

Federal officials are alerting the public to several nationwide imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. marshals, court officers, or other law enforcement officials.

In the scam, criminals call their victims claiming the are trying to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty or other offenses. The scammers tell victims they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debit card and read the card number over the phone to satisfy the fine.

These scammers use various tactics to sound credible, including badge numbers, names of actual law enforcement officials and federal judges, and courthouse addresses. Some will spoof their phone numbers on caller ID as appear if they are calling from a court or government agency.

Anyone who believes they were a victim of such a scam, is encouraged to report the incident to their local FBI office and to the FTC.