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At least two seniors in Carteret County fall prey to scam, resulting in massive financial losses

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published January 28, 2026 at 6:47 AM EST
File: Gold bars are stacked in a vault at the United States Mint in West Point, N.Y.
Gold bars are stacked in a vault at the United States Mint, in West Point, N.Y., in 2014. The settlement price for gold futures reached a record high of $1,931 per ounce Monday — and many analysts predict the price will head even higher.

Local authorities are sounding the alarm on a scam targeting seniors in Carteret County.

Investigators with the sheriff’s office, Cape Carteret Police, and the FBI say scammers are reaching out on social media, claiming they've found illegal images on a victim's computer. The crooks then pose as federal agents, demanding payment in physical gold to avoid "prosecution."

In two recent cases, the suspects actually arranged face-to-face meetings to collect the gold, resulting in massive financial losses.

Police are reminding people that they will never demand money or gold to settle an investigation, and say that anyone who is approached should not pay, but hang up and call 911 immediately.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
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