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🥇Gold Courier Scams

Gold courier scams stole $219M from 525 victims in 2024 — an average of $417,000 per victim. Scammers posing as government officials or tech support convince victims their money isn't safe, instruct them to buy gold bars, and send fake couriers to collect them. Targets primarily seniors.

$219Min reported losses, 2024(IC3)525 complaints
2
Patterns Documented
2
Confirmed Threats
0
High Risk
$16.6B
Reported Losses, 2024 (IC3)

Data sourced from FBI IC3 2024 Annual Report. Data reflects complaints submitted to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and may not represent all incidents. ZeroScam is an educational tool and is not affiliated with the FBI.

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All Patterns (85)₿ Cryptocurrency Scams(4)$6.6B💳 Payment & BEC Scams(9)$2.8B💻 Tech Support Scams(5)$1.5B🔓 Personal Data Breach(2)$1.5B🛒 Online Purchase Scams(5)💔 Romance Scams(3)🏛️ Government Impersonation(6)🏢 Corporate Data Breach(3)💼 Job & Employment Scams(6)🏧 Crypto ATM & Kiosk Scams(3)🥇 Gold Courier Scams(2)🪪 Identity Theft(3)🏠 Rental Scams(2)🔒 Extortion & Blackmail(1)🎰 Prize & Lottery Scams(1)🎣 Phishing & Smishing(3)📦 Delivery & Shipping Scams(4)🎭 Impersonation Scams(4)🤖 AI-Powered Scams(5)📱 Social Media Scams(2)📞 Telemarketing Scams(1)🏥 Healthcare Scams(1)🏦 Financial Service Scams(2)🔧 Service Provider Scams(2)🎗️ Charity Scams(1)🗳️ Election & Civic Scams(2)🧬 Synthetic Identity Fraud(2)🔄 Recovery Scams(1)

Threat Levels

CONFIRMED THREAT— Actively reported to FBI IC3
HIGH RISK— Significant victim reports
EMERGING— Recently identified pattern

Common Questions About Gold Courier Scams

Why would scammers want gold instead of wire transfers?▼
Gold is untraceable, valuable, and portable. A courier can walk away with $100K+ in a small package. There's no digital trail.
Would the government ever ask me to buy gold?▼
Never. No government agency asks citizens to convert money to gold for "protection." This is always a scam.
How do gold courier scams work?▼
Caller claims your accounts are compromised. They instruct you to buy gold bars for "safekeeping." A fake courier arrives to collect them. You never see your money again.
Why is the average loss so high ($417K)?▼
These scams specifically target wealthy seniors. Scammers spend days building trust and urgency before the gold purchase.

📖 How to Use This Database

  • ✓Browse patterns to learn scammer tactics before you encounter them
  • ✓Share specific pattern pages with family members who may be targeted
  • ✓Use our scanner to check suspicious messages against all 85 patterns
  • ✓Report scams to FBI IC3 and FTC using links on each pattern page

⚖️ Important Information

This database is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Pattern data is derived from publicly available FBI IC3 reports and ongoing research.

ZeroScam does not guarantee detection of all scams. Always exercise caution and verify independently before sending money or personal information.

Not legal or financial advice. If you have been victimized, contact local law enforcement and file reports with FBI IC3 and FTC.

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73% of Americans report being targeted(Pew Research, 2025 survey)

$470M reported in text-related fraud(FTC, 2024)

$16.6B in total reported losses(FBI IC3, 2024)