TL;DR: LongIsland.com reported on September 3, 2026 that a 70-year-old Hicksville woman wired $919,200 between June 29 and July 27, 2026 after callers claimed she was involved in a crime in India. They then demanded $300,000 in gold. She contacted police on September 1, and a 32-year-old Queens woman was arrested on September 2 on a charge of attempted grand larceny, an allegation not yet proven.
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What happened on Long Island
According to LongIsland.com, published September 3, 2026, a 70-year-old Hicksville resident was targeted from June 29 to July 27, 2026. Callers told her she was involved in a crime in India and that she needed to move money. She wired a total of $919,200.
The callers then demanded $300,000 more, this time in gold bars and coins. At that point she recognized the scheme and contacted police on September 1, 2026.
The arrest
A 32-year-old Woodside, Queens woman was arrested on September 2, 2026 and charged with attempted grand larceny in the second degree. The charge is an allegation and she is presumed innocent. ABC7 New York, cited alongside the report, described a sting in which fake gold bars were used.
The case shows why a single call to police matters. The arrest came the day after the victim reported.
Red flags
- A caller who says you are tied to a crime, particularly one abroad.
- Repeated demands that grow larger, such as a second request for gold after the wires.
- Instructions to withdraw funds and keep the matter private.
Our guides on grandparent scams versus digital arrest, social security impersonation calls and how to reverse a wire transfer scam describe how these scripts escalate, and how to protect elderly parents from phone scams offers ways to help an older relative.
Where to report
Call 911 or your local police. In Nassau County, the Fraud and Forgery Section can be reached at 516-573-2815. File a complaint at FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and tell your bank at once; what to do after a scam, wherever you live lists the full sequence. Stop and tell someone the first time a second, bigger payment is requested.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the victim wire?
$919,200 between June 29 and July 27, 2026, according to the report.
What did the scammers ask for next?
They demanded $300,000 more in gold bars and coins.
What happened after she contacted police?
A 32-year-old Queens woman was arrested on September 2, 2026 and charged with attempted grand larceny in the second degree. The charge is an allegation.
Who can I call on Long Island?
Call 911 or the Nassau County Fraud and Forgery Section at 516-573-2815.
Sources
- LongIsland.com: Hicksville senior wired $919K, then scammers demanded $300K in gold; arrest made (Sep 3, 2026)
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
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