Elderly Victim Duped in Major Gold Scam

A senior from Perth County has lost $320,000 due to a computer pop-up scam, according to police.

Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are seeking the public’s help in finding the suspects who took $80,000 in cash and gold bars worth over $240,000 from the victim’s home as part of this scam.

Police say the scam started in November 2024 when the victim clicked on a pop-up window on her computer. The pop-up prompted her to call a number provided, which connected her with someone posing as a Microsoft representative. This impersonator informed her that her finances had been compromised.

The authorities say that the scammer instructed the victim to withdraw cash and purchase gold bars from an online company.

Jill Johnson, a media spokesperson for Perth County OPP, mentioned that after the gold was delivered to the victim’s house, suspects arrived at her home to collect both cash and gold.

“[The victim] believed that they had to withdraw their money and keep it safe,” Johnson explained, noting that those picking up the money told her they would deposit it at the “Bank of Canada” for safekeeping as a courtesy.

Johnson stated it’s rare for scams to involve actual gold bars.

“It’s not common for scams to include gold bars. We’ve seen everything from gift cards and cash; obviously different things like that, but this is definitely unique.”

The provincial police are hoping someone can identify those who picked up the cash and gold from the victim’s residence.

The suspects are described as men between 25 and 35 years old, short in stature with short dark hair.

Authorities noted that these men were seen driving a white Lexus sedan and a smaller dark-colored sedan during their pickups.

Millions Lost Due To Fraud

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reports over 30,000 individuals have fallen prey to fraud in 2024, resulting in total losses of $503 million – ranging from romance scams to identity theft.

Det. Const. John Armit is part of the OPP’s economic crimes unit focused on corruption and financial crimes services.

He stated there were 460,000 calls made last year to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre; however, they can only process about 250 calls each day.

Armit emphasized how crucial it is for victims to share their experiences after being scammed.

“By posting stuff about these bad actors, I think it’s naming and shaming,” he said.

“We’re not going to arrest our way out of cyber crime or fraud. Prevention is our best tool for protecting the public while also reporting it so we can disrupt these activities.”

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