California man allegedly scammed elderly Oregon woman out of $280K in gold

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A California man was arrested after allegedly scamming an 81-year-old Oregon woman out of $284,000, authorities announced Wednesday.

The case goes back to late September, when a Lincoln County woman reported the financial fraud, telling the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office that a scammer posed as an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspected scammer convinced the woman to convert her savings into gold and to “surrender it for safekeeping.”

FBI agents traced the scam to an individual in India who directly communicates with victims and uses couriers to collect the gold.

Deputies later discovered that law enforcement recently apprehended two of the couriers in the Kansas City area, who were associated with the case out of Lincoln County.

Around 7 p.m. September 24, authorities conducted an arrest operation in the Toledo, Oregon area, when the suspected courier arrived at the scene and conducted counter-surveillance before the gold bar exchange occurred, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities found the suspect vehicle, initiated a traffic stop and detained the occupants. The vehicle was identified as an Uber, and the driver was unaware of the scam.

The Sheriff’s Office said the passenger, 20-year-old Tejveer Kumar of San Bernardino, California, was arrested for attempted aggravated theft and conspiracy and was lodged in Lincoln County Jail.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office noted that scammers posing as law enforcement is part of a broader tactic occurring across the United States.

Authorities remind community members that this gold bar scam highlights the importance of fraud prevention and education – reminding community members to always verify legitimate agencies before sharing sensitive information or transferring any kind of funds.