The Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) is issuing an urgent warning to Oregonians as reports of a sophisticated “gold bar scam” continue to climb in the Pacific Northwest. In the latest case, an Oregon woman was defrauded out of tens of thousands of dollars after scammers convinced her that her bank accounts were compromised and her money would only be safe if converted into gold. “These scams are cruel, calculated, and financially devastating. If someone tells you to buy gold to keep your money safe, it’s a scam—full stop. No government agency, no bank, no tech support line will ever ask you to liquidate your assets into gold or cash and hand it over to a stranger. Hang up and report it to law enforcement.” – AG Rayfield