New York authorities warn about gold bar scam targeting seniors

State's attorney general says scammers have made off with more than $100m in past two years

Scammers in New York have been using gold bars to steal money from victims, primarily seniors, and made off with more than $100m over the past two years, the state's attorney general announced on Friday.

The scheme starts with victims receiving a fake pop-up message that states their computer or financial account has been compromised, the press release stated. The message includes a phone number to call, and when they do, the scammers convince the victims to provide remote access to their computers, which allows them to access their financial information or online bank accounts.