West Baton Rouge sheriff warns residents of gold scam threat

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a “financially devastating” scam that can cost victims their life savings.

According to the sheriff’s office, scammers contact victims by phone, text, email, or alarming computer pop-ups. They pretend to be from government agencies, banks, or established tech companies such as “Microsoft”. The victims are then told that their accounts are frozen, hacked, or under investigation.

The scammers then pressure them to withdraw their money and purchase gold bullion as the only way to protect their savings.

Once the gold is bought, a “courier” meets with the victims at their home or a selected location for the exchange. After the exchange, both the scammer and the gold disappear.

Officials stress that no legitimate agency or bank will ask anyone to buy, set up a meeting location for exchange, or pressure you into making a quick financial decision.

The sheriff’s office urges anyone who receives a suspicious call to hang up immediately. Avoid sharing personal information and confirm that the information is coming from a reputable bank or financial institution.

Suspected scams should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission and local law enforcement.

Latest News