Suspects arrested in 'gold bar' scam in Douglas County.

Would-be elderly victim helped investigators lure the suspects in.

Douglas County authorities said they arrested two suspects in an alleged scam to take gold bars from an older resident, the third such case reported just within the last year.  

Douglas County Sheriff's Office investigators nabbed two individuals on May 23 during a sting operation to draw the men to a supposed drop off spot, where officers were waiting for them.

"We've got a detective that just jumps into action quickly and doesn't stop until the case is wrapped up," said Capt. Joel While of Det. Eric Oppeau in an interview with The Denver Gazette.

Here's how the case unfolded, according to authorities.

It started as a ransomware attack on the 76-year-old woman's iPad. The message, in March, directed her to call a number and was told "that some of her identity and accounts had been compromised." She was told she was being forwarded to the “bank’s fraud department” and spoke with "Agent Richard Parker, Badge #GS7408."

Authorities said this person "had a heavy accent." 

The woman was told "not to speak with anyone about the incident."

The suspects then ordered her to withdraw funds from her bank account and to buy gold bars and told her they would be delivered to her safety deposit box.

The men arrested at the drop off spot at I-25 and Castle Pines Parkway were Anil Kumar Dhiman, 34, and Punit Punit, 30. The bond was set for $10,000 each.

"We have no knowledge of how they targeted email addresses," White said. "It's widely known we have an aging population here  in Douglas county. So we have a lot of financial elder abuse. .. Folks here though do a good job of reporting.

"This victim was very brave," the officer added.

The suspects face charges of theft and crimes against at-risk persons.

In February, detectives cracked the case of a woman who was scammed out of $120,000 worth of gold bars.

“It’s a lot easier to scam people out of their money, to convince them to remove money from their accounts, or to steal their identity, than it is to stick a gun in their face," Sheriff Darren Weekly at the press conference in February.

The press conference followed the arrest of 26-year-old Sagar Jayeshkuma Patel of New Jersey on fraud charges after he allegedly stole more than $120,000 in gold bars from the 79-year-old woman in July of 2023.

According to Weekly, the woman received a popup on her computer that said she had a virus and needed to call an 888 number. Once called, Patel identified himself as a federal agent and said her bank account had been compromised.

Patel convinced the woman to buy two gold bars and give them to him at a convenience store in Littleton, continuing the guise that he was a federal agent and that the woman should not contact any other law enforcement.

Patel was eventually caught through cellphone records, credit card records and surveillance footage — but the gold was never recovered.

“We will never call you. Law enforcement will never call you. Government will never call you and tell you to pay a fine,” Weekly said.

In the third case, an 81-year-old woman reported a similar scam in late March.

The victim purchased $429,000 in gold bars and dropped them off to a man in a black SUV in a parking lot in Littleton, authorities said.

In this case, the victim wrote down the license plate, and Douglas County Detective Eric Oppeau tracked the suspect to Illinois. the Illinois State Police then responded, detained the suspect and the vehicle, and recovered $1.1 million in gold bars belonging to the victim in Douglas County and to another from Kansas City.

Officers arrested Syed Makki, 36. They suspected there were other victims.

White said none of the cases are related, though similar in method of operation.

Often, the cases are international.

"They are very compartmentalized," he said. "First the IT scammers, then the caller and finally the runners who come get the gold. No one talks to each other."

White said he hopes Douglas County is getting a reputation of being tough on these types of crimes.

"This is an incredible loss for the victims, financially, mentally and emotionally," he said.

“No one gets to come to Douglas County, prey on our elderly residents, steal their life savings, and get away with it," Weekly said in a news release. "The lead detective, in this case, is sharp and laser-focused on taking these suspects off the streets to protect our most vulnerable residents.”

Investigators offered the following tips to avoid being scammed:

• Never keep anything a secret.
• Never click on a pop-up ad on your computer or phone.
• Do not allow strangers remote access to your computer or bank accounts.
• If you must meet someone, choose a safe, public location, such as a local bank or a designated safe exchange zone near the Sheriff’s Office.
• If something feels off or raises suspicion, trust your gut instincts.
• Seek advice from trusted family members, friends, or law enforcement before proceeding with any financial transactions.

Douglas County law enforcement agencies speak out about scam targeting elderly residents.

Douglas County law enforcement agencies speak out about scam targeting elderly residents.

Following the arrest of a suspect who allegedly scammed a Highlands Ranch woman out of $120,000, Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.