Friendswood, Texas: A Friendswood woman was allegedly tricked into handing over nearly $185,000 worth of gold bars after scammers posing as federal officials convinced her that her financial assets were at risk.
The Friendswood Police Department said the case came to light on September 15, after the woman’s family became concerned about suspicious phone calls and financial transactions. The family contacted authorities after seeing an earlier police warning about gold scams targeting elderly residents.
According to investigators, the woman had been in contact with a man since August who falsely identified himself as a federal agent. He allegedly claimed that her Social Security information, along with her husband’s, had been compromised.
The caller then instructed her to purchase $25,000 worth of gift cards and convert about $185,000 of her assets into gold bars, claiming the move would protect her money.
Following those instructions, the woman shared the gift card information and later met a person she believed was a federal agent. On September 10, she handed over the gold bars to the alleged courier.
Investigators later identified the courier as Rajdeep Singh, a California resident. Police said Singh was located in Fort Bend County with assistance from the Meadows Place Police Department and arrested on September 16.
The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office accepted a charge of theft of property valued between $150,000 and $300,000, with an elderly victim enhancement. His bond was set at $5 million, and an immigration detainer was also placed.
Police believe Singh may have interacted with multiple victims in the Houston area over the previous four weeks as part of similar scams.
Authorities have reiterated that legitimate law enforcement agencies, federal authorities and financial institutions do not ask people to purchase gold, cryptocurrency or gift cards to protect their money or avoid arrest.
Residents who receive such calls are advised to end the conversation, avoid transferring money or valuables and contact local law enforcement immediately.
