A 79-year-old woman nearly lost $700,000 to an elaborate phone scam, but a quick-thinking coin dealer and local police turned the scheme into a sting operation that ended with an arrest.
The scam began when fraudsters contacted the woman and falsely claimed that her Social Security number had been linked to terrorism and money laundering. They instructed her to protect her savings by converting the money into gold and handing it over to a courier.
Following their instructions, the woman wired $700,000 to a coin dealer in Kent County, Michigan, and requested 145 one-ounce American Eagle gold coins.
However, the dealer immediately became suspicious. According to local reports, the woman appeared confused, showed little interest in the gold itself, and seemed under pressure to complete the purchase quickly. Sensing that she was being targeted by scammers, the dealer contacted the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies arrived and discovered the woman was still speaking with one of the scammers, who identified himself as "Eric." Investigators then took over the conversation, posing as the victim and arranging a meeting where a courier would collect the gold.
When 20-year-old Yug B. Chauhan arrived at the designated pickup location, an undercover officer disguised as an elderly woman handed him a bag filled with chocolate gold coins instead of the real gold. Officers arrested him moments later.
According to police, Chauhan claimed he was acting as a courier and had been directed through WhatsApp by an individual known as "Bhawsh." Authorities say he had been instructed to travel to the location and retrieve the package.
Chauhan is being held on a $100,000 bond and faces two felony charges, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Officials also confirmed that the victim's entire $700,000 was recovered and returned to her bank account.
The case highlights a growing trend of scams targeting older adults, often involving fake government investigations and demands to move money into cash, cryptocurrency, or precious metals. In this instance, what was supposed to be a $700,000 gold pickup ended with a bag of chocolate coins and an arrest instead.