The fake gold scam has resurfaced in B.C.
That’s where people climing to be from a wealthy country, often Dubai, claim they need cash and offer to sell their gold jewelry at a bargain price.
They are almost certainly not from Dubai and the gold is fake.
Lower Mainland District RCMP have received reports of the scam in Langley, Richmond, Coquitlam, Burnaby, and New Westminster from Jan. 17 through Jan. 22.
Similar incidents were reported widely in November and in the southeastern part of the province last summer.
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The Real Time Intelligence Centre British Columbia (RTIC-BC) identified this most recent pattern, said RTIC Inspector Vaz Kassam.
“In this instance, RTIC provided the information to frontline officers through our daily bulletin once we made the links,” Kassam said.
“This provides frontline officers with actionable intelligence to advance investigations.”
This scam normally involves a couple — either a man and a woman or two men — described as middle eastern or claiming to be from Dubai.
They travel in a vehicle and will approach people randomly on the street, at gas stations, bus stops or parking lots, telling them they have fallen on hard times and need to raise money to get home.
They then offer to sell the victim valuable gold jewelry, which is fake, in exchange for cash.
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In some instances, the suspects have successfully talked unsuspecting victims into giving them cash. In these most recent incidents, the victims turned over $790 in cash.
They’ve been seen in vehicles with licence plates from Quebec, Alberta and BC, usually rental cars.
Anyone with any information or were a victim of this crime, please contact your local police or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-Tips (8477).
