Latest news with #EvaRothman
CBS News
19-02-2025
- CBS News
Queens woman loses nearly $700,000 to scammers. Her family says they found out through GoFundMe.
A Queens woman was tricked into draining her life savings through an elaborate scheme that went on for weeks, and her family says they had no clue. The scam involved talking computers, fake officials and gold bars. Scammers claimed to be with FTC, said victim's money wasn't safe Last summer, scammers tricked Eva Rothman out of nearly $700,000. She says it started when a voice started talking to her through her computer. "A voice came on the screen saying that, you know, leave the computer alone, that my Social Security number was compromised and you have to call a certain number that was on the screen," Rothman said. Phone records show the number she called when her computer froze. She said the man claimed he was with the Federal Trade Commission, that she'd been hacked and that her money was not safe. "That I would have to withdraw it and put it in a, they called it a gold reserve," Rothman said. There would be more conversations about "protecting assets." To gain Eva Rothman's trust, they sent her official-looking emails, used the names of real government workers and spoofed phone numbers so it looked like a specific agency was calling. Queens woman drains accounts to buy gold Eventually, Rothman drained all her accounts to buy gold. She spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy 24-karat gold bars and gold coins. Mohammed Aibani owns the store where Rothman purchased the bars. She said the scammers suggested the location, which is close to her house in Queens, and police said Aibani and his store had nothing to do with the scam. Aibani said this was the first time he's seen a scam like this. "This lady she came repeatedly, and when I asked her at this age, why do you buy so much gold, she said she wants to give it to her daughter," he said. The precious metal, along with the cash, was then picked up by a courier. "This was done in three, three trips, so these people came to this building three times to take $700,000 away," said Varda Rothman, the victim's sister-in-law. Afterwards, Eva Rothman said she received official-looking confirmation receipts, which she thought were from the Department of Treasury. Scammers cut off contact after wiping out victim's accounts Eva Rothman says she spoke with the scammers on a daily basis for more than a month. "And I couldn't say anything [to anyone]," she said. "They said that I was under surveillance and that if I told anybody, I could go to jail basically." "We just found out about it when she posted a GoFundMe page on Facebook. My son saw it, sent us a text and said, 'Is this for real?' And we had no idea," Varda Rothman said. "These people are just pure evil." Eva Rothman's financial advisor had also asked her if she was sure it wasn't a scam, but by that point, she was in too deep. When the scammers wiped her out, they cut off contact. That's when Eva Rothman called police. Since then, Rothman's sister-in-law, Varda Rothman, has been helping the family budget. "We're doing things that we never thought they would have to do. I mean, going to a food bank," she said. "In the beginning, honestly, I was angry. Like, how do you not come to your family?" Varda Rothman added, "It's hard, it's hard. Basically, I'm thinking about my niece, what's going to happen to her when we are no longer here." Eva Rothman's money was supposed to go to her daughter, who has some health challenges, according to family members. NYPD offers advice on how to avoid scams Police are continuing to investigate this incident. "We see a lot of these scams deal with gift cards and cash and money orders, the gold bar is unique," NYPD Crime Prevention Sgt. Kevin Kelly said. More than a year ago, the FBI sent out an alert about a similar scam, warning seniors were being told to "liquidate assets" and "buy precious metal." There were victims in Tampa, Florida, and Columbia, South Carolina. Kelly says always hang up the phone if you don't recognize a number and never click on links in texts or emails from unfamiliar senders. "The scammer creates a problem, and there's a sense of urgency," he said. "And at the end of the day, there's always, you gotta pay, and whether that's payment with a gift card, or a gold bar."
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
This Queens woman got swindled out of $700K in gold bar scam — here's how it works and 3 red flags to watch for
A new gold bar scam is fleecing unsuspecting victims across the U.S. out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. It starts with a phone call, where an official-sounding person convinces you they're with a government agency, such as the FTC or the Treasury, and that your bank account has been hacked. All you need to do is buy gold bars and hand them over. Your money will be safe, or so you're told. Then you never see your money again. Eva Rothman of Queens lost all $700,000 of her life savings to the scam. Her nephew is trying to help her get her money back, but they're unsure if they'll be successful. 'Would you do this to your mother?' Rothman asked. 'I can't understand why people do these things. They don't have heart.' They shared her story with ABC7 New York to prevent others being victimized. A near-record number of Americans are grappling with $1,000 car payments and many drivers can't keep up. [Here are 3 ways to stay ahead]( ?throw=DM1_streamline_managing-money) 5 ways to boost your net worth now — easily up your money game without altering your day-to-day life Cost-of-living in America is still out of control — use these 3 'real assets' to protect your wealth today It all started when an unsuspecting Rothman opened an email link that gave fraudsters remote access to her computer. They froze her screen and displayed a phone number for her to call. When she called, a conman pretending to work for the government convinced her that her bank accounts were compromised and that she was being watched. She was also told she could go to jail if she told anyone. The fraudster convinced her to withdraw $20,000 cash from her checking account, put it in a box, and take it outside and put it in the backseat of a car that pulled up. Next, the fake agent told her to go to a specific store in Jackson Heights and buy gold bars, which she did — three times. Each time, the agent sent a car to pick up the gold bars from her house. While investing in gold can be legitimate, being asked or pressured to hand it over is not. Eva was provided with fake receipts from the U.S. Treasury and promised a check that would secure her assets. The check never came. Her nephew Lyle Rothman, rabbi of Community Synagogue in Port Washington, says his aunt doesn't have a cent left. 'If it happened to my family, it could happen to any family,' Rothman said. Read more: Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead He's right. According to the FTC, older adults lost nearly $2 billion to fraud in 2023, a conservative figure given that the vast majority of scams are not reported. To protect yourself and your loved ones from similar scams, keep an eye out for these red flags. Watch for phishing scams. Never click on links in any email you don't recognize, and double-check the 'sent' email address to see whether the email sender is legitimate. Never call random numbers that pop up on your computer screen or talk to people who 'accidentally' text you. If someone claiming to be from a government agency calls, hang up, look up the agency's official number online, and call back. Paying with credit cards can offer consumer protection and payments can be reversed. Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay via unsecured channels, whether that's with cash apps, gift cards or physically handing over cash or gold. These unsecured payments are hard to trace and make your money near impossible to recover. Several people tried to warn Eva she was being scammed, including her bank and financial adviser, but the scammers often tell you to ignore them or lie. If anyone asks you to lie, it's likely a scam. If you're worried for your safety, contact law enforcement immediately. Scammers often use fear to manipulate people into making decisions they wouldn't usually make. Always be wary of anyone who uses fear or pressure to convince you to send money. If you believe a scammer is trying to take advantage of you or a loved one, call law enforcement and file a complaint with the FTC. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) 'Savers are losers': Robert Kiyosaki warned that millions of 401(k)s and IRAs will be 'toast' — here's his advice for older Americans who want to protect their wealth Suze Orman: If you think you're ready to retire, think again — 4 critical money moves to avoid a financial crisis in retirement This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
