A wave of gold scams has hit Winnipeg, leaving residents thousands of dollars poorer, according to local jewelry appraiser Gerry Gordon.
Gordon, owner of Gerry’s Jewellery Appraisals, has encountered numerous victims at his Winnipeg shop over the past few months. These victims all shared a similar tale: they were duped into buying what appeared to be genuine gold, but turned out to be worthless jewelry. The scams typically took place near bank machines, with scammers spinning convincing stories and offering supposed gold in exchange for cash.
Victims, from all walks of life, were often motivated by a desire to help and the promise of a bargain, but ended up losing between $100 and $3,000. Gordon cautioned against deals that seem too good to be true, advising against buying gold or jewelry from strangers, especially in parking lots.
The issue isn’t isolated to Winnipeg; similar scams have been reported across Canada and the United States, involving organized groups traveling between provinces. Winnipeg police have received several reports of such scams recently, with incidents perpetrated by individuals who travel long distances to perpetrate their schemes.
For instance, a man allegedly rented a car in Toronto and drove to Winnipeg, where he convinced a local resident to exchange $1,700 for what turned out to be fake jewelry. Despite efforts by law enforcement, no charges have been filed against the alleged scammers, highlighting the complexity of cross-border fraud investigations.
Const. Dani McKinnon emphasized the evolving nature of these scams, urging caution when approached with offers involving cash for untested items like jewelry. She encouraged the public to consider safer alternatives when helping others in need.