Residents of Richmond are being cautioned by the local RCMP about the resurgence of a gold scam targeting individuals within the community.
According to the police detachment, fraudsters are employing deceptive tactics, such as presenting fake gold jewelry to unsuspecting individuals and exploiting their emotions to pressure them into making immediate purchases. In certain instances, the perpetrators have been accompanied by young children and have falsely claimed urgent financial needs, citing the necessity to feed their families.
In a variation of the scam, perpetrators have reportedly placed counterfeit gold jewelry on victims, ostensibly to demonstrate its appearance, only to execute a sleight of hand maneuver, stealing the victims’ authentic jewelry that they were already wearing.
Richmond RCMP has initiated investigations into four reported cases of this scam thus far.
In response to this concerning trend, authorities urge the public to exercise caution and refrain from accompanying strangers to ATMs or banks for transactions related to suspicious sales pitches. Instead, individuals are advised to promptly disengage from such encounters when safe to do so and report the incidents to the police.
Corp. Adriana O’Malley emphasized the importance of skepticism, stating, “This is an example of ‘If it seems too good to be true, it definitely is.’ We can’t stress enough if someone approaches you on the street offering to sell you gold or jewelry, regardless of their explanation, say no and walk away.”
The Richmond RCMP remains committed to raising awareness about such scams and encourages community members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly.
