NJ gold bar scam busted: 2 arrested after targeting senior for $750,000

Two people have been arrested in connection with a nearly $750,000 international gold bar scam that defrauded a senior citizen in Ocean County.

Scam Originated from Fraudulent Pop-up on iPad

Following a tip from the FBI, the Barnegat Police Department says their investigation found that a 76-year-old man from their municipality had purchased nearly $200,000 in gold bars from a legitimate dealer in Las Vegas after he received a scam pop-up message on his iPad claiming to be from an Apple Care representative.

Victim Duped into Surrendering Gold to Fake Courier

The scammer allegedly told the victim his bank accounts had been compromised by a hacker and they convinced him that the only way to protect his assets was to convert them into gold and then surrender them to a "courier" who would then deposit the bars into the Federal Reserve for safekeeping.

Sadly, the victim complied and handed over approximately $200,000 in gold bars to a man posing as a courier on April 16th.

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Second Attempt Foiled by Police Sting Operation

Police say the scammers remained in contact with the victim, and they persuaded him to buy another $550,000 in gold bars, scheduled for delivery on April 28th.

This time, state and local law enforcement officers set up surveillance inside the victim’s home. After the delivery, two people arrived and attempted to take possession of the package with the gold bars, but they were both arrested.

Those two, Chen Tongyong and Jianming Jiang, have been charged with second-degree theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft.

Both were processed at Barnegat Police headquarters and are currently being held at the Ocean County Jail as the investigation continues.

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Police Urge Public to Stay Alert

The Barnegat Police Department urges residents to remain vigilant when contacted about financial matters. If something feels suspicious, do not hesitate to reach out to law enforcement. Please also check in regularly with friends and family members who may be vulnerable to scams of this nature.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.