All that glisters isn't gold. That's the lesson several locals learned the hard way after an encounter with a street hustler selling fake jewelry during a rash of frauds in the past few weeks, according to a local jeweler.
Over a two-week span five separate people approached Garth Ingham, owner of George T. Ingham & Son, and employees at his gold-buying establishment hoping to cash in on what they thought had been a steal of a deal.
“It was all heavy chains, bracelets and rings that people had bought basically off someone on the street,” he said. “I hated to be the bearer of bad news. It was not the real thing.”
The victims, who parted with up to a couple of hundred dollars, described how dodgy salesman told a sob story about being down and out and just needing a little bit of cash for the supposedly precious ornaments.
Based on weight, had the items been real, they could have fetched $5,000 - $6,000.
The heavy necklaces were all stamped “18 carat” and had the same chain pattern.
Two different men brought in chain bracelets and rings.
When Ingham checked one signet ring with an acid test the green bubbling indicated the item was, in fact, brass.
Two of the victims were men who said they were hustled right after leaving the Zoo.
“In every case they were exactly the same style and they were just gold plated,” he said of the pieces.
From time to time sellers come in with an assortment of heirlooms, some items genuine gold and others not, Ingham said.
“Sometimes a collection of stuff,” he said. “It's very seldom I've actually seen fraudulent jewelry.”
Innisfail RCMP staff sergeant Chris Matechuk said people need to keep their guard up.
“It's important to use common sense,” he said. “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.”
People can be taken by all kinds of frauds, from street dealings to cybercrime, he added.
“If someone approaches you, call us,” he said.
