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Maryland authorities arrested five people for operating a gold bar scam that targeted elderly residents in Montgomery County, with at least 20 victims losing millions of dollars combined. Notable victims include an 81-year-old woman who lost over $900,000 and a 74-year-old man who lost $240,000, with some victims now at risk of losing their homes. Law enforcement believes this organized criminal enterprise has affected many more cases beyond those identified so far.

Five people have been charged in Maryland for operating a "gold bar" scam that tricked senior citizens into converting their assets into gold, with seven identified victims in Montgomery County alone losing over $7 million. Police report that millions of dollars have been lost to this scam nationwide, though their prevention efforts have stopped over $3 million in additional losses. Authorities recommend not answering calls from unknown numbers, avoiding popup ads, and have partnered with local pawn shops to educate merchants on identifying suspicious bulk gold purchases.

Five fraudsters were arrested in Maryland for operating a nationwide scam that has stolen at least $84 million over the past year. The scammers used fake popup ads claiming stolen personal data, then impersonated federal authorities to pressure victims into purchasing gold bars, sending couriers to collect cash; in Maryland alone, seven victims lost nearly $3 million. Authorities recommend not answering calls from unrecognized numbers and avoiding clicking on suspicious popup ads to protect against this fraud.

Cryptocurrency scams cost Maryland residents nearly $94 million in 2023, according to an FBI report, with romance-based schemes being particularly prevalent. Though representing only 10% of financial fraud complaints to the FBI, cryptocurrency scams account for 50% of total money stolen, with approximately 1,400 Maryland complaints among nearly 58,000 nationwide. The scams exploit emotional manipulation and leverage the online nature of cryptocurrency to easily access victims' financial and personal information.

Maryland state leaders and AARP launched "Protect Week," a public education campaign coinciding with World Elder Abuse Day, to help older adults and families avoid financial exploitation and scams. In Maryland alone, over 3,200 people aged 60+ lost approximately $80 million to scams in the previous year, with fraud often originating from both strangers online and trusted individuals. The campaign emphasizes that scammers exploit elders' vulnerability and trusting nature through increasingly sophisticated schemes that create artificial urgency.

A financial planner in Prince George's County, Maryland, warned about tax season fraud scams, noting that scammers impersonate the IRS by phone to steal money, and that the IRS flagged over one million tax returns for identity fraud last year with 12,617 confirmed identity theft cases. Key advice includes protecting Social Security numbers and sensitive information, filing taxes early to prevent identity theft, organizing tax forms in advance, and verifying dependent eligibility before filing to avoid losing credits.

The "Phantom Hacker" scam has cost Marylanders millions of dollars through a multi-layered scheme where scammers pose as government officials (CIA, FBI, Treasury, etc.) and convince victims their identities have been stolen and accounts compromised. Victims are instructed to withdraw large sums of cash or purchase precious metals to "protect" their assets, which are then handed over to couriers; between May and December 2023, the FBI's IC3 received reports of over $55 million in losses nationwide, including $3.8 million from 7 Maryland victims, with one individual losing over $2 million.

Noel Chimezuru Agoha, age 40, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for orchestrating business email compromise (BEC) and romance scams that defrauded victims of over $1.5 million between 2015 and 2018. Operating with co-conspirators, Agoha used fraudulent emails impersonating business contacts and fake dating profiles to trick victims into transferring funds to drop accounts he controlled, personally obtaining approximately $111,242 in BEC proceeds and over $1 million in dating scam proceeds, and was ordered to pay $1 million in restitution.

Noel Chimezuru Agoha, a 40-year-old Maryland man, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison in February 2019 for leading multiple fraud schemes that defrauded victims of over $1.5 million between 2015 and 2018. Agoha and his co-conspirators executed business email compromise scams by impersonating legitimate business contacts to trick victims into transferring money to fraudulent accounts, and operated romance scams on dating websites using fake profiles to extract money and property from victims. The court ordered Agoha to pay $1 million in restitution for his role in the conspiracy.

The Maryland Attorney General's Office issued guidance warning residents to beware of sports betting scams and fraudulent platforms as March Madness approaches, advising consumers to verify legitimacy through the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's office before placing bets. Recommendations include reviewing promotion terms carefully, using only licensed betting programs through the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, avoiding unsolicited communications, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities or the FBI. The office also noted that gambling carries financial risks and directed those needing help to contact the Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gambling at 1-800-Gambler.

A 64-year-old woman in Leisure World, Maryland was defrauded of nearly $800,000 after a caller posing as a federal investigator convinced her to convert her savings into gold bars under the guise of protecting her from identity thieves. The suspect, Wenhui Sun, collected the gold bars in multiple parking lot exchanges before fleeing with the stolen assets. This cash-to-gold scam has affected at least a dozen seniors in Montgomery County, though police arrested Sun after setting up a sting operation with a decoy victim and $376,000 in gold bars.

A California man was arrested in Montgomery County, Maryland for defrauding a 64-year-old woman out of $800,000 by posing as a federal investigator and convincing her to convert her assets into gold bars for supposed identity theft protection, then stealing the gold from a parking lot. The FBI reports this cash-to-gold scam resulted in over $55 million in losses nationwide from May to December of the previous year, with at least 12 victims identified in Montgomery County alone, as scammers exploit the lack of transaction scrutiny from gold bullion websites compared to traditional banking institutions.

Linda Laird, 59, and her father James Blizzard, 80, of Cordova, Maryland, were indicted on charges including Social Security fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and financial exploitation of an elderly person. Beginning in November 2017, the defendants fraudulently obtained guardianship and conservatorship of an 81-year-old cognitively impaired nursing home resident, then diverted over $21,000 in Social Security benefits and $85,000 from the victim's bank account for their personal use instead of applying the funds toward her care. Both defendants were released pending trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection warns homeowners about unlicensed driveway-paving scammers who typically target residents in spring, using tactics like unsolicited offers, pressure for cash deposits, and claims of leftover materials to defraud victims. These scammers either abandon projects midway, leave properties damaged, or complete substandard work at inflated prices with no warranty protection, potentially resulting in civil or criminal charges including fraud and property destruction. Homeowners should verify contractors have a Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license, obtain written contracts, and avoid cash-only deals or unsolicited offers with pressure for quick decisions.

A 75-year-old Maryland woman lost $86,000 in a tech support scam that began with a fake iPad security alert. After being directed to call a fake "Apple Support" number, scammers convinced her that her bank accounts were compromised and persuaded her to withdraw cash and purchase gift cards to "secure" her money. The scam was interrupted when a bank security officer at F&M Trust recognized the suspicious $62,500 withdrawal and alerted authorities, leading to the arrest of two New York men who arrived at her home to collect the cash.

A 34-year-old California man was arrested for his role in a government-imposter gold bar scam that defrauded an elderly Leisure World resident of over $700,000 in Montgomery County, Maryland. The scammer impersonated FTC and FBI officials, falsely claiming the victim was an identity theft victim requiring protective measures, and instructed her to purchase gold bars from an online retailer; the victim wired approximately $788,000 in two transactions and handed over the gold bars to couriers in parking lots before realizing the theft. This represents one of a dozen similar incidents reported in Montgomery County over six months, targeting vulnerable seniors in the community.

Gift card draining—a scam where fraudsters obtain card codes from retail displays, reseal the packaging, and drain the balance once consumers load money—resulted in $217 million in losses in 2023 as part of a broader $10 billion fraud crisis. States including New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have enacted laws requiring retailer warnings and employee training, while Maryland recently approved legislation mandating secure packaging to conceal activation information, though retailers and manufacturers have resisted such regulations.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus elder fraud database. It reports a shooting incident involving five teenagers (ages 16-18) at a Maryland park during a senior skip day gathering, not a scam, fraud, or elder abuse case. Please provide an article related to elder fraud, scams targeting seniors, or elder abuse for summarization.

A former Nigerian romance scammer named Christopher, who operated fake dating profiles from 2016 to defraud women of large sums of money, was arrested and has since reformed by working for an anti-scam company and sharing his story to raise awareness. Romance scams are a widespread federal crime affecting tens of thousands of Americans annually, with cases often involving multiple victims and complex schemes that are difficult to prosecute; U.S. Attorney Erek Barron's office in Maryland has made scam and fraud cases a top priority through participation in the Justice Department's "Elder Justice Strike Force" and partnerships with organizations like AARP to prevent future victimization.

In May 2024, Dolapo Lawal, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identity theft for orchestrating a stolen identity tax refund scheme targeting elderly victims. Lawal fraudulently obtained over $3 million in tax refunds using elderly victims' identities, loaded the funds onto debit cards opened in their names, and withdrew more than $80,000 in cash at ATMs for personal use, including payments on his Mercedes and credit card debt. Law enforcement recovered approximately 24 fraudulent debit cards with $200,000 in stolen refunds during an April 2022 traffic stop, and later discovere

The Rockville Volunteer Fire Department lost $220,000 in a fraud scheme where a scammer impersonated their ambulance vendor and redirected the down payment to an overseas account. At least two other fire departments were victimized by the same fraudster around the same time; the department recovered $100,000 through their bank and is pursuing fundraising efforts to replace the lost funds, with Montgomery County police and the FBI investigating.

Dolapo Lawal of Baltimore pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identity theft for operating a stolen identity tax refund scheme that defrauded elderly victims of over $3 million. Lawal obtained fraudulent tax refunds using victims' identities, loaded them onto debit cards opened in the victims' names, and withdrew the funds in cash for personal use; law enforcement recovered 24 fraudulent debit cards and over $80,000 in cash from his vehicle in April 2022, and found over 300 additional debit cards during a June 2023 search warrant of his home. Lawal faces a maximum of 10 years in

In 2022, Maryland residents age 60 and older lost $63.6 million to fraud, with online scams being the most common method. Common schemes targeting older adults include grandparent scams (requesting emergency money), romance and investment scams, and impersonation of law enforcement, often facilitated through information gathered on social media. Red flags to watch for include unexpected emails or calls with misspellings, suspicious URLs, and unsolicited requests for money or personal information; protective measures include enabling multi-factor authentication on accounts, verifying caller identity through official channels, and reporting suspected fraud to local law enforcement or the Federal Trade Commission.

**Article:** Opinion: Elder fraud case is as tragic as it is infuriating A 75-year-old man, Robert McClanahan, lost over $1 million to his financial adviser, 40-year-old Eddy Blizzard, who used signed blank checks to steal funds for personal expenses while McClanahan fell behind on mortgage payments and eventually lost his home. McClanahan, who never learned to read or write and had worked 40 years to build his retirement savings, died shortly after the foreclosure with his assets depleted. Blizzard was convicted of bank fraud, sentenced to 42 months in prison, and ordered to pay $

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown warned consumers about the rising threat of imposter scams that use sophisticated technologies, including AI-generated voices, to impersonate trusted figures such as government officials, bank representatives, law enforcement, and family members in order to steal money or personal information. Common scam types include government imposters threatening fines or arrest, family/friend imposters claiming emergencies, and tech support scams demanding payment for unnecessary repairs. To protect yourself, verify callers' identities by contacting organizations directly using official numbers, establish code words with family members, avoid sharing personal information, and report suspected scams to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, FTC, or AARP Fraud Watch

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown warned residents of an escalating AI-powered imposter scam targeting Prince George's County residents, where scammers mimicked sheriff's voices to demand $500-$5,000 via cash app, wire transfer, or gift cards by claiming victims had outstanding arrest warrants. The scammers used officials' real names and created false urgency to pressure victims into quick payments, exploiting AI technology's ability to replicate government and law enforcement voices convincingly. Brown recommends verifying unexpected official contacts through independent phone numbers, avoiding payment requests via gift cards or wire transfers, and reporting suspected scams to the Attorney General, FTC, or FBI.

Following a severe storm in Montgomery County, Maryland that damaged homes and trees, residents are warned about "storm chaser" scammers—unlicensed contractors who target vulnerable people with inflated repair costs while performing little to no work. The county's Office of Consumer Protection advises residents to verify contractor credentials, obtain multiple estimates, check reviews, and never pay more than one-third of contract costs upfront, as Maryland law requires written contracts and manufacturer warranties.

During Maryland's PROTECT Week, state officials highlighted efforts to combat elder financial abuse, which affects one in five adults over 65 and costs seniors $2.9 billion annually, despite younger Americans being more frequent targets. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Comptroller Brooke Lierman announced that their offices are working through Project SAFE and other initiatives to educate seniors and pursue asset recovery, emphasizing that scammers—including trusted family members and neighbors—specifically target seniors' life savings. The officials provided protective tips including letting unknown calls go to voicemail, guarding personal information, and regularly monitoring financial statements, while encouraging victims to seek help without shame.

Maryland's attorney general and comptroller held a public awareness event in Annapolis to warn older residents about financial fraud risks and prevention strategies. According to AARP data cited in the warning, one in five older adults has fallen victim to fraud schemes, highlighting the widespread nature of this problem in the state.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and AARP Maryland's PROTECT Week highlight the rising threat of elder financial abuse, with FBI data showing Americans age 60+ lost over $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, an 11% increase from the prior year. Common fraud schemes targeting seniors include tech support scams, phishing via email and text, and the "grandparents scam"—increasingly sophisticated with AI-generated voice mimicry and caller ID spoofing—with Maryland seniors alone reporting nearly $72 million in losses from nearly 2,000 complaints in 2023. Advocates stress that fraudsters often pose as trusted individuals like caretakers or neighbors

Maryland policymakers held a public awareness event warning older residents about financial fraud, which affected 1,985 adults age 60+ in the state last year. A 79-year-old Montgomery County woman lost over $500,000 to an FBI imposter scam involving fake fentanyl trafficking investigations, experiencing severe physical and psychological health consequences. State officials announced expanded protections for seniors and encouraged fraud victims to report incidents to law enforcement at 833-372-8311, emphasizing that reports help build cases against scammers targeting vulnerable populations nationwide.

During Maryland's "Protect Week" in June 2024, state officials highlighted that one in five seniors over 65 have been victims of fraud, with the elderly losing nearly $3 billion annually to identity theft and scams perpetrated by both external criminals and family members. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown emphasized his office's commitment to combating elder fraud and abuse through enforcement efforts.

An 82-year-old Maryland grandfather, Dennis Jones, died by suicide in March after falling victim to a "pig butchering" scam in which he was deceived by a person posing as "Jessica" on Facebook into sending tens of thousands of dollars for fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. Jones lost his life savings to the scammers and became severely depressed over his financial losses and shame, ultimately taking his own life just hours before his children planned to help him recover from the fraud. The scam, reportedly run primarily by Chinese gangs, exploits victims through fake online romantic relationships on social media and dating platforms before convincing them to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes and phantom properties.

Between 2023 and the present, multiple Ghanaians were arrested in the United States for various crimes including romance scams (sakawa), money laundering, and gun smuggling. Notable cases include Abdul Inusah, 32, who was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $128,000 in restitution for operating romance scams that defrauded victims across multiple states using false personas, and Eric Nana Kofi Ampong Coker, who pleaded guilty to illegally exporting firearms from Maryland to Ghana without proper licensing.

An 82-year-old Maryland retiree lost approximately $900,000 after clicking a pop-up ad that falsely claimed Russian spyware had compromised her computer; the scammers, posing as federal agents, convinced her to convert her life savings into gold bars and hand them over to a courier. A 19-year-old suspect from Brooklyn was arrested when he arrived to collect what he believed was a box of gold bars worth millions, but was instead apprehended by a detective posing as the victim. Montgomery County authorities warned residents that legitimate government officials never request citizens convert cash to gold or make similar demands.

An 82-year-old Montgomery County, Maryland woman lost $900,000 in a gold bar scam after scammers posing as federal agents convinced her to purchase gold bars for "safekeeping" following a fake computer security alert. Zhenyong Weng, 19, of New York City was arrested and charged with attempted theft; prosecutors indicate at least 17 victims in Montgomery County have lost millions of dollars in similar schemes, and recovery of the gold is unlikely due to its untraceable nature.

Gold bar scams have defrauded more than a dozen victims in Montgomery County, Maryland alone, with losses exceeding $1 million in individual cases, targeting primarily elderly individuals by convincing them to convert their savings into gold bars under false promises of safekeeping in government vaults. Scammers exploit economic anxiety and victims' unfamiliarity with gold purchasing by posing as financial advisors, directing victims to purchase gold through legitimate retailers before criminals take possession of the assets, which are then difficult to recover or trace once melted down. Montgomery County police have identified at least 17 victims of these schemes in the county, with the State's Attorney noting millions lost in total across the region.

A 52-year-old Maryland man, Vipul Thakkar, was arrested and charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from at least a 74-year-old victim since March by impersonating a government official and convincing them to convert savings into gold bars for "safekeeping." At least 20 similar victims have been identified across Montgomery County, and authorities are investigating potential connections, noting that recovery of the gold is extremely difficult once transferred.

A 52-year-old Maryland man was charged with operating a "Gold Bar Scam" that defrauded a 74-year-old Bethesda victim of over $1 million between May and June. The scam involved sending official-looking FTC lawsuit letters, then posing as an attorney who convinced the victim to convert his assets into gold eight separate times. Investigators believe this is part of a larger scheme affecting multiple elderly victims across Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Three men from Maryland and Ohio were indicted for operating a $3.5 million technical support scam that defrauded over 1,000 victims, many of whom were older adults. The defendants used pop-up windows, unsolicited calls, and fake online listings to convince victims their computers had serious security issues requiring immediate payment for repair services. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and related charges.

Three men—Amit Ahuja, Kapil Gupta, and Priyanshu Walia—were indicted for operating a tech support scam that defrauded over 1,000 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $3.5 million by falsely claiming their computers were compromised and requiring payment for repairs. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and related charges.

**Summary:** Three men—Amit Ahuja and Kapil Gulati from Maryland, and Priyanshu Walia from Ohio—were indicted on 11 counts of wire fraud for operating a tech support scam that defrauded over 1,000 seniors of at least $3.5 million between April 2017 and November 2021. The scheme used fake pop-ups, spoofed websites mimicking legitimate companies like Microsoft and Amazon, and unsolicited calls to convince victims their computers were infected and required paid repair services, with defendants creating fake shell companies to conceal their identities and making repeat fraudulent charges. Each defendant faces up to 20

Three Maryland and Ohio men were indicted on July 31, 2024, for operating a technical support scam that defrauded over 1,000 victims, many of them older adults, of at least $3.5 million by convincing them their computers were infected or vulnerable and required immediate paid repairs. Victims were targeted through unsolicited pop-ups, phone calls, or fake technical support websites that posed as legitimate companies. The defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted on wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges.

Three Maryland men were indicted for their alleged roles in a technical support scam that defrauded victims of at least $3.5 million, underscoring a broader elder fraud problem in the region. The case highlights the prevalence of tech support schemes targeting vulnerable populations, particularly seniors.

Three Maryland and Ohio men were indicted for operating a technical support scam that defrauded over 1,000 victims, many of them seniors, of at least $3.5 million. The defendants used pop-up warnings, unsolicited calls, and fake search results to convince victims their computers were compromised and required immediate paid repairs from fraudulent "support companies." Each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges.

Scammers in the D.C. area are targeting residents with calls impersonating law enforcement, claiming loved ones face arrest for missing jury duty and demanding payment to avoid arrest. A Silver Spring, Maryland woman lost $5,800 after receiving a fraudulent call claiming to be from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office; the scammer provided a fake arrest warrant, initially demanded $88,000, and instructed her to pay via bitcoin at a grocery store kiosk. Law enforcement officials emphasize that legitimate authorities never call to collect fines and advise residents to verify any jury duty concerns directly through official court websites.

The City of Blaine, Minnesota lost $1.57 million to an international wire fraud scam in August 2023 when fraudsters used a fake email address mimicking a legitimate contractor (New Look Contracting) to intercept a payment meant for a construction project. The scam was discovered when the real contractor inquired about their overdue payment, prompting Blaine to issue a duplicate payment; federal authorities later indicted a Maryland-based network that used confusingly similar company names and shell companies to steal and launder funds. The city did not publicly disclose the fraud for nearly a year, and it remains under federal investigation.

A 23-year-old man was arrested at Chicago O'Hare International Airport in July and extradited to Maryland for his role in a gold bar scam targeting an elderly Montgomery County resident in March. The scheme involved perpetrators falsely claiming the victim was involved in identity theft and a federal drug investigation, then instructing them to convert assets into gold bars worth $779,000, which were to be picked up by couriers posing as FBI agents. Patel has been charged with felony theft of more than $100,000 and a misdemeanor, with a trial scheduled for September 23; a second suspect was also arrested.

Gold bar scams targeting seniors in the D.C. area have resulted in millions of dollars in losses, with scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and convincing victims to convert cash into gold bars for purported "safekeeping." Montgomery County alone has identified approximately 20 victims aged 61-94, with individual losses reaching $2.3 million, and the FBI has received over 250 complaints nationwide; authorities have charged four men and linked the schemes to criminal organizations in India and China. Experts advise avoiding suspicious pop-ups and calls from unknown numbers, and warn that once funds are handed over, recovery is virtually impossible as money is quickly laundered and sent overseas.

Montgomery County, Maryland law enforcement officials warned of an organized crime scam targeting seniors in which approximately 20 victims lost millions of dollars since July 2023, with at least five suspects arrested. The scheme typically begins with fraudulent computer alerts, pop-up ads, or calls impersonating federal agents or tech support, convincing victims their accounts are compromised and pressuring them to convert savings to gold bars for "safekeeping." Notable cases include a 74-year-old man defrauded of over $1 million and an 82-year-old woman victimized by a 19-year-old suspect, with authorities believing significantly more unreported victims exist.