More and more gold scams

“We see one to three per week, and people are scammed for $50-$700,” Owner Ken Apland wrote. “This scam has been around longer than I’ve been in the jewelry industry (49 years!) but has been increasing every year for the past 18 years.”

It happens nation-wide, he said.

Hood River and The Dalles police, as well as Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill, confirmed they haven’t received any reports from the scam victims recently. Hood River’s Lieutenant Don Cheli confirmed this scam has been used Hood River County before. Cheli and Apland both said it’s opportunistic, unrelated to swings in metal prices.

“What folks are unaware of is that it is a full time, professional job for the scammers, and very profitable,” Apland said. “It used to happen more at gas stations, now it happens more often at Walmart or strip mall parking lots.”

The well-trained scammer approaches a mark, “normally stepping out of a very nice car like a new Mercedes or Lexus, and say that they have lost their wallet and just need some cash for gas so they can get home. Usually, there is a woman in the passenger seat that needs to get home ASAP. They offer what they say is 18 karat gold jewelry that cost them over $3,000,” Apland explained. The person then says they’ll sell it for a lot less — just enough gas money to get home.

This makes the victim feel good about helping someone, while also looking for a nice profit.

At least, until they learn it’s just a pile of brass.