Wisconsin Jeweler Helps Prevent $47,000 Scam Targeting Elderly Woman
June 23, 2026 (0 comments)
Waukesha, WI–Costa’s Fine Jewelry and Coins is being credited with helping prevent a scam targeting an 84-year-old Brookfield woman who was allegedly pressured to purchase gold and hand over cash to a fraudster.
[Image via Costa’s Fine Jewelry and Coins/Facebook]
According to a report by WISN, co-owner Yianni Roupas contacted the Waukesha Police Department after the woman visited the store seeking to urgently purchase $30,000 worth of gold.
Roupas told WISN that employees became suspicious when the woman was prepared to write a check before selecting any type or quantity of gold and could not explain why she needed the purchase. He said staff believed someone might be pressuring her to buy the gold as part of a scam.
While waiting for the woman’s check to clear, police determined she was the target of a fraudulent scheme. Authorities said the intervention prevented her from handing over both the gold and an additional $17,000 in cash to an individual who had been communicating with her by phone.
Waukesha police praised Costa’s Fine Jewelry and Coins for its actions, stating that the business did “a great job” protecting the woman.
According to WISN, the woman later returned to the store to thank employees for intervening.
Police are reminding the public to be cautious of unsolicited requests for money or personal information and advise people to hang up and contact a trusted family member or organization directly when uncertain. The Town of Brookfield Police Department is investigating the attempted theft.
More details are available in the WISN report.
