WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A California man is facing charges in Walton County after allegedly scamming a 74-year-old victim out of more than $280,000 in gold, said the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
The case centers on an elaborate scheme in which the victim was falsely told their Social Security number had been compromised, then transferred to a person posing as a federal officer. That caller is said to have instructed the victim to protect their assets by purchasing gold coins and transferring them to the “Treasury Department.”
The victim reportedly followed instructions and bought $280,493 worth of gold from a coin and bullion store, believing the valuables would be placed in a secure federal vault. The scam included use of a password, repackaging the gold, and a handoff to a so-called “undercover officer” for safekeeping.
Investigators later identified the man who collected the gold as 31-year-old Manpreet Singh of Alhambra, California. Mr Singh allegedly traveled from California to Walton County to carry out the scam, then delivered the stolen coins to co-conspirators. The funds were never returned.
Mr Singh was arrested June 25 in California after a court appearance on similar charges. Authorities say he was caught during a sting operation in a separate gold fraud case led by the San Diego Police Department Criminal Intelligence Unit and the FBI Economic Crimes Task Force in Southern California.
He was extradited to Florida and booked into the Walton County Jail on July 15.
The WCSO said the case is a reminder that no legitimate law enforcement agency will ever request payments or asset transfers involving gift cards, cryptocurrency, gold, or undercover agents.
“If you receive a suspicious call, text, or email—hang up, delete it, and do not give out any personal or financial information,” the agency warned.
WCSO urged the public to help spread awareness of scams, especially to vulnerable populations.
For more scam prevention tips, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Scam Alerts page at consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts. To report a scam or schedule a presentation on fraud prevention, contact WCSO at (850) 892-8111 or email crimeprevention@waltonso.org.
