WAUKESHA, Wis. —
A man has been charged after an 84-year-old woman reported fraud of $707,309 in cashier's checks and gold bars.
The victim contacted the Waukesha Police Department on Jan. 18 to report the fraud complaint. She provided documentation of six transactions ranging from $75,000 to $230,000 between Nov. and Dec. 2023.
According to court documents, the victim told police this started around Nov. 12 when she called a phone number that popped up as an advertisement on her computer. She then spoke with a man who said he could "assist her in fixing her computer."
Several days later, police say a man called the victim pretending to work for Waukesha State Bank — where the victim has an account — telling her "it would be necessary for her to transfer her money" because of a data breach.
The criminal complaint indicates that the victim would continue to take phone calls from the person identifying themself as the banker. They would occasionally arrange to pick up the gold bars directly from the victim's house.