New York authorities have a shiny new warning for seniors: if a pop-up tells you your computer is compromised and the fix involves buying gold bars, it's probably a scam. State Attorney General Letitia James announced on Friday that these schemes have swindled victims - mostly seniors - out of more than $100 million over the past two years.

The scam's playbook is as old as the hills but with a digital twist. It starts with a fake pop-up claiming your computer or financial account has been compromised, complete with a handy phone number to call. When victims call, they're convinced to grant remote access to their computers, letting scammers peek at their financial info or online bank accounts. Then, a fake law enforcement officer swoops in to declare their accounts compromised and instructs them to withdraw cash, buy gold bars or coins, and hand them over to 'authorities' for safekeeping. Victims are sworn to secrecy, and couriers are dispatched to collect the loot.

'TARGETING OLDER ADULTS WITH SEEMINGLY LEGITIMATE CLAIMS THAT THEIR LIFE SAVINGS ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER IS FLAT-OUT CRUEL,' JAMES SAID, SHOWING A REMARKABLE COMMAND OF UNDERSTATEMENT. 'SENIORS DESERVE TO LIVE COMFORTABLY WITHOUT FEAR OF LOSING THEIR HARD-EARNED SAVINGS TO A MANIPULATIVE SCAM. I AM URGING ALL NEW YORKERS TO BEWARE OF THESE GOLD BAR SCAMS AND REPORT SUSPICIOUS MESSAGES RELATED TO THIS SCAM TO MY OFFICE.'

This scam isn't just a New York specialty. Victims in Hawaii, Maine, Washington DC, and Wisconsin have reported similar experiences. In July, an 85-year-old man in DC was targeted by email and phone calls from people claiming to be federal agents. They told him his money was at risk and he should buy gold to protect it. When he tried to purchase $200,000 worth from a dealer, the seller smelled something fishy and alerted law enforcement. The suspects were arrested when they showed up at the victim's home to collect the gold.

The Attorney General's office offers some timeless advice: don't call numbers from pop-ups, texts, or emails; don't give remote access to strangers; don't withdraw money at the behest of a random caller. If someone claims there's a problem with your bank account, contact your financial institution directly. And if you think you've been targeted, call law enforcement.

'A SCAM IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE SCAMMER CREATES A FALSE SENSE OF URGENCY, PRESSURING THE VICTIM INTO LIFE-ALTERING DECISIONS ON THE SPOT AND SWEARING THEM TO SECRECY,' THE ANNOUNCEMENT STATED. 'THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT THIS IS TO HANG UP AND CONTACT SOMEONE YOU TRUST AND LET THEM KNOW YOUR SITUATION.' Because when a stranger calls with a too-good-to-be-true gold investment opportunity, the only thing shinier than the gold is the con artist's pitch.