June 2019: Fake Gold Sellers Back In Town

Every year Kelowna is targeted by con artists using a technique called the ‘Stranded Motorist’ scam.  They’re back in town, read the following to protect yourself!

The details of the scam vary but it generally involves getting approached by someone in a parking lot or gas station asking for money.  They’re in a desperate situation, out of gas or in need of car repairs.  They’re not “begging” though, they’re offering some very nice looking 18K stamped jewellery in exchange.  Unfortunately: that jewellery is completely fake.  

We’ve been warning about this since 2013 when we brought the story to the major media.  CHBC ran a news story on the topic (linked below):

We had 2 people in the last 2 days come in with fake pieces, each swindled out of hundreds of dollars.  More importantly: for months afterwards this fake gold shows up on Facebook Swap/Shop, Marketplace, local classifieds or other sales channels.  People get duped and then try to resell it, spreading it unintentionally.  It’s a big deal: last year dozens of pieces come in.  Here is over 1 pound of fake items that got left with us for team training last year alone.