More than $1 million in gold was stolen from a couple in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, authorities said.

In a release report, Pennsylvania State Police said a 78-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman in Providence Township had $1,328,652 in gold stolen from them in a scam on Dec. 1.

Officials said an unknown person posed as a Social Security Administration employee and contacted the two victims, telling them one of their Social Security numbers had been compromised. The scammer, according to state police, said they needed a new number.

The victims were then given instructions on how to liquidate their retirement assets and purchase gold, the news release said. The gold was then collected by scammers as payment for getting a new Social Security number, according to state police. 

State police did not release any more information about the theft, only saying an investigation is underway. It was not immediately clear if there were any suspects or arrests. 

In a post on its website, the Social Security Administration says it will never require cash, gift cards, or prepaid debit cards for payments. It posted a scam alert on July 31, alerting the public to scammers pretending to be with the Social Security Administration.

"Fraudsters pretend to be government employees and claim your identity has been stolen or that there is another problem with your SSN, record, or benefits," the government organization said. "These criminals continue to evolve and find new ways to steal your money and personal information."