⏱ 3 min read
A brazen con artist from Florida was caught red-handed in Phoenix, Arizona, trying to pick up $600,000 in gold from a victim of a phantom hacker scheme. Gary Christopher, 59, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, was arrested on April 10 after traveling to the Phoenix area to collect the gold. Investigators say Christopher’s co-conspirators posed as government agents, convincing the elderly victim to transfer her assets to them, including $400,000 in assets before she discovered the scam.
Christopher was supposed to meet with the victim on April 9 to collect the remaining $600,000 in gold bullion, but law enforcement had other plans. The FBI’s Phoenix Division intercepted Christopher and recovered evidence that showed he had been instructed on how to pick up and transfer the gold from the victim to a co-conspirator.
The FBI warns that phantom hacker scams and government impersonation scams are becoming increasingly common, with elderly victims often being targeted. Fraudsters typically pose as government agents, pressuring victims to act quickly and transfer their money to the perpetrators.
The public is urged to remain vigilant and verify the identity of anyone requesting financial transactions. Remember, the government will never call individuals to instruct them to transfer funds without written documentation, and they will never tell you to transfer assets into gold bullion.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Arizona
- Location: AZ
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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