74-year-old Kentucky woman loses $180,000 to gold coin fraud scam leading to suicide attempt

Summary

A 74-year-old woman from Boyle County, Kentucky, was scammed out of nearly $180,000 in January 2025 after receiving fraudulent emails from the Social Security Administration and the Inspector General's Office. The scammer convinced her to sign a non-disclosure agreement and send money to "clear" her name, falsely claiming her assets would be stored and returned after an investigation. The scammer then met her in person on February 13 in the parking lot of a Chase Bank in Lexington’s Zandale Center, where she exchanged her money for gold coins. After the meeting, the scammer disappeared and was never heard from again. The victim became so distraught over the loss that she attempted suicide, requiring hospitalization at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville. The FBI is investigating the scam, which is part of a broader gold coin fraud scheme.