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Cash for fake gold? Two West Kelowna residents scammed

Fake gold was the subject of two West Kelowna scams last month
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(Crimestoppers)

You know what they say about things that are too good to be true?

Well, two West Kelowna residents learned the meaning of the colloquialism first-hand last month.

The two Good Samaritans were won over by hard-luck stories and promises of gold for cash.

On Aug. 17, two men, who appeared to be stranded on the side of the road with an older grey Infiniti and an empty gas tank, when another man stopped to help.

The man offered to take them to get gas but they insisted they needed cash instead and offered gold in exchange.

“Both men were well dressed and said they were from Dubai,” stated the Crimestoppers release.

“The male who did the talking was described as being Middle Eastern-looking, in his 40’s, bald, approximately 5’9” tall and stocky. A younger man with a full beard and dark hair remained in the car.”

Another instance of a similar scam occurred on Aug. 30 when somebody was approached in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant on Gellatly Road.

The man was a dark-complexioned male who was with a female in a silver Subaru car with Alberta licence plates.

They said they were from out-of-country, had a sick child and needed medication. He was offered gold in exchange for the cash they said was needed for medicine.

All of the gold was proven fake when it was taken to a nearby jeweller.

Anybody with information on either of these incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit their website at crimestoppers.net.

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@michaelrdrguez
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com

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