"Buy Gold and Hand It to a Courier": The Government Impostor Scam

This scam doesn't try to sell you gold. It tries to get you to buy gold yourself, from a real dealer, and then hand it to a stranger. It works because the caller sounds official and the story sounds urgent.

There is one rule that stops it every time: no real government agency, bank or company will ever ask you to buy gold. The FBI says it in plain words: "The US Government and legitimate businesses will never request you purchase gold."

This page explains how the scam unfolds, how common it has become, what to do if it is happening to you, and how to help a parent.

How does the gold bar courier scam work?

It follows the same steps almost every time. The FTC, the FBI and the New York Attorney General all describe this pattern.

1. A surprise contact. A phone call, text, email or computer pop-up says your bank account or computer has been hacked, or that your name and Social Security number are tied to a crime.
2. Someone official. The caller says they are from a government agency, your bank or a tech company. Sometimes several people call, each playing a different role, to make the story feel real. Some ask for remote access to your computer and show you fake "evidence" of hacking.
3. Fear and a deadline. You are told your savings are in danger and you must act today. You may be told not to tell anyone, even your family or bank staff.
4. Turn savings into gold. You are told to withdraw cash and buy gold bars or coins from a real dealer, or to wire money to a dealer that ships the metal to your home. The dealer is real. The person directing you is not.
5. The handoff. A courier comes to your home or meets you in a public place to collect the gold "for safekeeping." The FBI says scammers may give you a passcode, such as the serial number on a dollar bill, to "verify" the courier.
6. Silence. You are promised the metal will be held in a protected account. Then the calls stop and the gold is gone.

How common is the gold courier scam?

Common enough that the FBI's yearly report now gives it its own figures. In 2025, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received about 725 gold courier scam complaints, with losses of $311.8 million. That works out to hundreds of thousands of dollars per case on average.

Across all scams, people 60 and over reported about $7.7 billion in losses to the FBI in 2025. The FTC notes that reports of losses over $100,000 from older adults to these impostors rose nearly sevenfold from 2020 to 2024.

Would the government ever tell me to buy gold?

No. Never. The FTC says no one from the government will ever tell you to buy and deliver gold bars, move your money to a "secure" account, or give cash to anyone to keep it safe.

That is true of every agency: the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the FTC, the FBI, the Treasury and any other. The FBI adds that real businesses never ask you to buy gold either, and that includes your bank and tech companies.

What should I do if this is happening right now?

Stop and step away. You don't need to be polite, and you don't need to finish the conversation. The FTC's advice is: "Hang up. Delete the email. Stop texting. Block their number."

Then:

• Call someone you trust. A family member, a friend or your bank. Saying the story out loud to someone outside it is often enough to break the spell.
• Call your bank yourself, using the number on the back of your card or on your statement. Never use a number the caller gave you, and never call a number from a pop-up.
• Don't give out your home address and don't agree to meet anyone to hand over cash or metal. The FBI warns against both.
• Don't let anyone into your computer. If you gave someone remote access, turn the computer off and have it checked.
• If a courier is coming, don't open the door. Call your local police.

If you already handed over gold or cash, act quickly. Call your bank and the dealer you bought from, and report it to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FBI asks for as much detail as you have: names, phone numbers, emails, websites, account numbers and the name and location of the dealer. People 60 and over can get help filing from the Justice Department's Elder Justice Hotline at 833-372-8311 (833-FRAUD-11).

How can I help a parent avoid the gold courier scam?

Talk about it before it happens. The scam relies on panic and on the victim not telling anyone, so a calm conversation ahead of time is the best defense.

• Share the one rule. No real agency or bank ever asks anyone to buy gold. Write it on a card by the phone.
• Agree on a pause. Ask your parent to call you, or another person they trust, before moving any money, however urgent the caller says it is.
• Talk to their bank and brokerage. Ask together whether your parent can name a trusted contact person the firm can call if something looks wrong.
• Watch for changes. Large cash withdrawals, new calls they won't talk about, or sudden interest in buying gold are worth a gentle question.
• Keep shame out of it. These scammers are practiced and convincing. A parent who feels judged is less likely to tell you next time.

Buying gold with your own savings is legal and normal, and the dealers involved in these scams are usually honest businesses filling an order. Gold itself still has limits: it pays no income, costs money to buy, store and insure, and its price can fall. For the warning signs that apply when someone is selling you metal directly, see our 10 red flags of gold and silver scams.