Posted on 04/20/2010 2:32:37 PM PDT by jiggyboy
A 50-year-old woman was the victim of a gold bar scam at Kmart on North Davis Road, according to the Salinas Police Department.
The victim was approached by a Spanish speaking woman in her 40s who struck up a conversation with her, police said.
The suspect said she needed help because a car had hit her uncle and he needed money, police said.
She went on to say she had found some gold bars to sell at which point a Spanish speak male accomplice walked up and entered the conversation, police said.
The female suspect said she had the bars appraised for well over $10,000 but she would sell her and the man a gold bar for $9,000 each, police said.
The victim drove the suspects to her home and picked up $9,000 cash, police said.
She then drove the man to Wells Fargo on South Main where he as seen possibly going inside and returning later with cash, police said.
The victim and man handed the money to the female suspect, received their bars and then the victim dropped the suspects off at Wal-Mart, police said.
When the victim took the to be appraised she found out it was fake, police said.
Anyone with information related to the crime or who may have been a witness is asked to contact the Salinas Police Department Detective Division at 831-758-7226.
If you would like to remain anonymous, you can call the Salinas Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at 831- 775-4222, or the We-Tip Line at 1-800-78-CRIME.
“Chances are good that the ‘spanish speaking man’ was in on the scam in order to make the mark feel more comfortable about parting with $9000.”
Absolutely. I guarantee it
MY question is. How did this illegal even have 9k to get scammed out of by another illegal?
It is really hard to have any sympathy here
sold them -—yes
bought them-—no
You might need that level of sophistication to fool SnakeDoc's marks over at Target, but I'd guess that the density of the "gold bar" in this case was closer to lead than tungsten, and possibly had just a little whiff of battery acid and propane too.
“I have about 9K just sitting in my sock drawer right now...”
I have boxes of 7.62 ammo in my sock drawer. The socks are under the bed. :-)
The Spanish speaking man is listed as an accomplice.
I always have my parking lot gold purchases appraised before I buy it.
The buyers should have bargained harder. I bet they could have got those fake bars for $1,000 or less.
Very funny guys and I think Mark Twain.
Ha, the guy with the bag of oranges at the traffic light charges just ten bucks!
Consumer tip of the day. In this economy, don't be afraid to haggle!
Four for $3000.
Such a deal!!!
I have 9k.....in various calibers.
This was actually a pretty common scam in California many years ago and it always found takers. It’s amazing...it’s come around again - in a different century with a different group of victims.
I’m seeing W.C. Fields here and there.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/w_c_fields_2.html
I need a unicorn that craps skittles
Can't slip anything past Sam Roberts ...
They're all-cash, all-underground in a way that makes a mountain hermit look like a salesman on an expense account. No bank account, no credit card, just the life savings in the sock drawer and a couple of gold bars *cough* under the bed.
Old scam. I first saw it on an old movie with George C. Scott called “The Flim Flam Man.” That was made in the sixties or seventies, and the scam probably goes back centuries.
Where in the article does it say the victim is an illegal?
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