COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) is alerting the public about a sophisticated scam in which criminals are convincing victims to buy gold bars or withdraw cash, then hand the money over to a courier under the guise of “protecting” their assets.

Officials say scammers are posing as government officials, law enforcement, or bank employees, telling victims that their accounts are compromised, their computers are hacked, or their names are tied to crimes. The fraudsters then pressure victims to turn over cash or gold bars to couriers.

SCDCA officials stress that this is a scam: no legitimate agency will ever demand that people hand over gold or cash to resolve an issue.

Warning signs include urgency, threats, requests for secrecy, and demands for p

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