Real Government Agents Will Never Ask You to Buy or Deliver Gold Bars

You might get a message, email, or call saying your bank account or computer was hacked. Or they say your name and Social Security number are linked to crimes. To gain your trust, they say they’re government agents or law enforcement (they’re not) — and then they pressure you to act fast. To “protect your money,” they tell you to buy gold bars and hand them to someone. Or they say to move your money to a “secure government” account or withdraw cash and give it to someone to “keep it safe.” But those are all scams.

Scammers are pretending to be from the government—like the IRS, FBI, or other federal agencies—and tricking people into buying gold bars or other expensive items. Then they tell you to send or deliver the gold to them.

Here’s what you need to know:

❌ This is a scam.

Real government workers will never:

• Ask you to buy gold, gift cards, or cryptocurrency
• Tell you to secretly send or deliver anything
• Threaten to arrest you if you don’t do what they say

✅ What to do if someone contacts you like this:

• Hang up the phone or ignore the message
• Do not send or deliver anything
• Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

🛡 Remember:

If someone makes you feel scared or rushed, that’s a red flag. Take your time, talk to someone you trust, and always double-check.

*Source: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/07/real-government-agents-arent-asking-you-buy-and-deliver-gold-bars?utm_source=govdelivery