DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — The last month has been a long, emotional one for Stephen Warner.
"It's a lot. A lot of different emotions come into play," Warner said.
"Extremely angry that this is even a think that she has to deal with."
"She" is Warner's grandmother, Barbara.
The 74-year-old fell victim to a federal scam in January, receiving emails from the Social Security Administration and the Inspector General's Office accusing her of fraud. Barbara was sent a non-disclosure agreement to sign, along with threats of prison time if she didn't send money to the courts pending her name being cleared.
"The story that was spun was that the federal government would collect her assets and store them in a secure facility, which they said she would have access to, and that at the conclusion of the investigation they would be returned to her," Warner said.
"This person met her in Lexington, somehow convinced her to drive all the way to Lexington to write two checks for $179,000 in total to buy these gold coins."
Warner has been in contact with the FBI which has confirmed this gold scam is one they are looking into.
What the bureau told Warner about his grandmother's case that more unique was the scammer wanting to meet Barbara in person.
On February 13, Barbara exchanged her money for gold coins and met the scammer in the parking lot of the Chase Bank in Lexington's Zandale Center.
Once the gold was handed over, Barbara never heard from the man again.
"There's no just starting over at that age. This is supposed to be her retirement days, not having to worry so much. Now it's back to square one for her," Warner said.
Barbara was so distraught from losing her life savings, she attempted to take her own life.
As she recovered at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville, her grandson hopes sharing their story can help stop scams like this from happening.
"We're trying to find hope and grace in the situation just because she is recovery. We have her that is the most important thing but this guy is still out here doing what he does every day so I'm sure she's not going to be the last one," Warner said.
