TL;DR: The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript reported on September 30, 2026 that Wilton, New Hampshire police charged two Brooklyn men with attempted felony theft. Scammers posing as McAfee representatives told an elderly Wilton resident to convert bank funds into physical gold for couriers. Three transactions occurred; the third, about $89,000, was not completed. The men were arrested on September 25 and 28 and are presumed innocent.

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What happened in Wilton

According to the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript report dated September 30, 2026, callers impersonating McAfee security representatives targeted an elderly Wilton resident. The victim was told to turn money held at the bank into physical gold and hand it to couriers.

Three transactions took place. The third, for roughly $89,000, was not completed, and police said they are still investigating the first two.

The arrests

Two Brooklyn men were charged with attempted felony theft after undercover operations by the Wilton Police Department, on September 25 and September 28. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Investigations assisted. The charges are allegations, and the men are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Police Chief John Frechette urged residents to warn elderly neighbors, saying no legitimate organization will instruct someone to buy gold, crypto, gift cards or other valuables as payment.

Red flags

The same script appears in tech support scam recovery and remote access scam recovery. For talking with relatives see how to protect elderly parents from phone scams, and for the wider picture see elder fraud statistics for 2026.

Where to report

Call local police before handing anything over, tell a family member, and report at FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The Department of Justice Elder Fraud Hotline is 1-833-FRAUD-11. You can also file with FTC ReportFraud; see how to report a scam to the IC3 for how to complete a report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the scam?

Callers posing as McAfee security representatives told an elderly victim to turn bank funds into gold and give it to couriers.

How much was involved?

Three transactions occurred, and the third, about $89,000, was not completed.

Who was charged?

Two Brooklyn men were charged with attempted felony theft. The charges are allegations and they are presumed innocent.

Where can seniors report this?

Report to local police and ic3.gov, or call the DOJ Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11.

Sources

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