A suspected fraud artist believed to be peddling fake gold jewelry ended up in handcuffs after Langley City RCMP made an arrest on Wednesday afternoon, March 16.

Cpl. Holly Largy said officers were acting on a tip that someone was offering to sell gold at unusually low prices.

Largy said it was believed to be a variation of a perennial con game sometimes referred to as the 鈥淒ubai gold鈥� scam, where a crook spins a tale of financial woe, and claims to be so desperate they are willing to sell their gold jewelry for far less than its worth. Victims usually discover the bargain gold they bought is fake when they try to sell it.

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Investigators carried out a search of a white SUV Wednesday around 1 p.m. and seized a quantity of fake gold.

In the case of the suspect, Largy said the man was 鈥渄etained while the investigation was being conducted,鈥� then released after agreeing to leave the province.

Because the suspect wasn鈥檛 caught in the act, there wasn鈥檛 enough evidence to support charges, Largy said.

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Largy said reporting such incidents, even unsuccessful attempts to sell fake gold, is important because it allows police to attend and investigate, and identify the people involved.

In November of 2021, four incidents were reported over a four-day period in Richmond and Langley.

While a number of the people approached turned down the suspects, in one case, a victim was allegedly defrauded of $2,500.