Retiree sues after losing $390,000 to gold‑bar scam

Jeffrey Maas, 77, had planned to spend retirement traveling and leave an inheritance, but cybercriminals conned him out of $390,000—about half his life savings. He received an email on June 5, 2024, about a $691.05 Norton Antivirus charge, called the helpline listed, and was put through to someone claiming to be a PayPal agent who gained control of his computer and obtained bank details.

The fraudster said he had accidentally deposited $300,000 into Maas’s checking account, showed a falsified PNC statement, and instructed him to buy gold to avoid supposed IRS penalties. Maas wired $300,000 to American Coin and Stamp Co. while a PNC banker guided the transfer; he then picked up coins, left them in his car, and a person later collected them.

The next day Maas was shown another forged deposit, withdrew $90,000, and bought more coins that were collected by a driver later identified as Jaynesh Patel; Patel was arrested and indicted on a second‑degree theft by deception charge and has pleaded not guilty.

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