(NewsNation) — The price of gold is forecast to rise above $3,100 per troy ounce in the coming months, and scammers are capitalizing on the interest to con people out of their money. Interest in gold has surged as the global economy is mired in uncertainty amid President Donald Trump's tariff s, which have sparked trade wars with other countries. Gold scams are surging, too, with American seniors being scammed out of $126 million last year alone. ‘Worst treatment of humanity’: Police on man allegedly held captive for 20 years Scammers target seniors, many of whom are too scared or embarrassed to come forward and report their losses. Cumberland, Maine, police Chief Charles Rumsey recently arrested someone for their role in emptying residents' bank accounts. "We had a Cumberland resident come here to the police department to report that she believed she had been scammed out of over $100,000," he said. Rumsey said he believes a group of people was working together, making her think they were acting on her behalf. "In fact, they had maliciously taken over her computer, convinced her that they were computer engineers from Microsoft and that in order to keep her money safe, they needed to have her take her money out of her financial institution, converted to gold and then they sent a courier here in Cumberland to pick up this gold and take it to Washington, D.C., for safekeeping," he said. Trump’s Irish golf course damaged by pro-Palestinian activists But the money was never taken to D.C., and the scammers made off with the gold. That same scam is happening around the country. Pop-up ads scare people, mainly seniors, into calling the number on the ad for help. On the other line, scammers tell victims their money isn't safe, but they can help them. Couriers are sent to pick up gold bars, ostensibly to take them to a safe bank, but instead, criminals make off with the gold. In Denver, police arrested a courier when officers showed up to deliver gold instead of the victim. The same thing happened in Maine when the courier showed up, thinking they would get another $100,000 of gold off their victim. Sheriff’s office uses AI to make suspect’s photo appear to speak Couriers are often the low men in the scam's organization. Currently, FBI agents are investigating two call centers in India, where they have traced some of these gold scams to. The AARP and FBI, along with police, are also warning people not to fall victim to scams, trying to educate people and warning them not to click on links in pop-up ads or emails. ...read more read less