The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a scam that netted more than $5 million from a local resident through transactions in Unity.
State police were enlisted to see if anyone else locally had fallen victim to the scam, which they said involved individuals posing as the Federal Trade Commission.
Troopers said in a news release that a local resident responded to a text message about a PayPal transaction and then was contacted again by people claiming to be representing the FTC. Police said the resident was asked for cash and later gold bars.
Anyone who has experienced similar circumstances, regardless of whether a transaction took place, is asked to contact state police at 724-832-3288 and ask for Trooper Jason Kinger.
The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a media request.
The FTC will never threaten someone, ask that gold bars be purchased or request a money transfer, according to its website about imposter scams. Scammers posing as the FTC may claim to be an agent, show a fake badge number or request someone move money to “protect it.”
The number of older adults who reported losing $10,000 or more through business or government imposter scams have increased fourfold in four years to 8,269 in 2024, according to the commission.
The FTC advises that consumers should call a legitimate number for their bank, broker or investment advisor if they’re concerned about their accounts. Anyone who gets a scam call or message should report it to their bank or investment fund and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.