Fake gold ring scam

A man approached my mum on Myddleton Road the other day while she was using the pay and display machine opposite vrisaki. He handed her a gold ring and said in broken English that he'd seen her drop it and was going to keep but felt bad so returned it. As my mum was trying to explain it wasn't hers he took money out of her hand and started thanking her, as though she'd offered it to him as a reward. The ring seemed to be gold and was hallmarked but a friend told us they'd heard of similar scams so we took it a jewellers for a valuation and he confirmed it was worthless. I'm dismayed to think my mum was scammed like this on the street where I live and wanted to warn others to be careful.

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Permalink Reply by Lindsey Berthoud on February 7, 2013 at 18:02

Pete was approached with this scam when he was a volunteer at the Royal Institution in Mayfair. He was having a smoke outside and was approached with the gold ring. Fortunately, he twigged the scam and told the scammer that it wasn't his but perhaps someone from inside the RI had lost it so thank you very much, we'll put it in the safe until someone comes to claim it. As you can imagine, the scammer wasn't happy about this and had to be escorted, yelling, off the premises.

Where I work around Old Street it's rife with scams. Ever seen the guy with the seemingly bleeding and wounded arm needing to get to Homerton Hospital? Ignore.

Sorry to hear your Mum was a victim of this sort of thing. It's horrible when your trust is abused, especially in your neighbourhood.

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Permalink Reply by Lindsey Berthoud on February 7, 2013 at 18:51

Someone knocked on my door a year ago saying they lived in the next street and they'd just brought their son or daughter back from hospital but didn't have enough to pay the cab driver. I'm not naturally cynical so was concerned and inclined to help but I said to tell me where they lived and I'd come round and give the driver the £4 myself. I said I'd be right back. Needless to say, once I'd put my shoes on, told my flatmate where I was going and got back to the front door, he'd disappeared. Silly me even went out looking for him before I realised it was a scam.