Ah, gold bars—the stuff of pirate legends and investment dreams. But if someone unexpectedly contacts you and starts whispering sweet nothings about turning your cash into gold bars (and then handing them off to some rando), well, my friend, you’re squarely in scam territory.

Picture this: You’re sipping your morning coffee when you get a frantic call, email, or text. The message? Your bank account’s been hacked, your computer’s been taken over by shadowy figures, or—plot twist—your name and Social Security number are knee-deep in crime drama. But don’t worry, they say. They’re the government or law enforcement, and they’re here to help! Only, spoiler alert—they’re not.

Here’s where things get gold-bar-level weird. In a bid to “protect your money,” they’ll tell you to buy gold bars and hand them over to someone. Or they might suggest moving your money to a “secure government” account or withdrawing cash to give it to someone for safekeeping. But let’s be real: none of this makes a lick of sense.

Here’s the golden rule (pun totally intended): No legitimate government official will ever ask you to buy gold bars and hand them to people like you’re smuggling treasure off a pirate ship. If someone tries to convince you otherwise, you’ve got yourself a scammer on your hands.

To help you dodge these scams like a pro, here’s what to watch out for:

  1. “Buy gold bars and hand them to someone” – If you hear this, run for the hills. It’s a scam, no matter how convincing their story is or who they say will receive the bars. Spoiler: there’s no secret courier service for your gold bars.

  2. “Move your money to protect it” – If someone tells you to move your money to another account or withdraw it as part of some grand plan to protect it, they’re up to no good. Scammers love this line.

  3. “Withdraw cash and give it to [anyone]” – Just say no. This is always, unequivocally, a scam.

So, what should you do if you encounter one of these scams? Channel your inner detective: Stop, hang up, delete the email, cease all texting, and block the number. Then, spill the beans to someone you trust and report that scammy nonsense to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Remember folks, if it sounds too strange to be true, it probably is. Stay savvy, and keep your gold bars where they belong—in your wildest dreams.

For more details, check out the original article here: FTC Consumer Alert

Original article: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/07/real-government-agents-arent-asking-you-buy-and-deliver-gold-bars