The Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) has advised the general public to be cautious of ongoing gold scam schemes by some dubious individuals.

It cited activities of gold scammers who present fake photos and videos of gold available for sale.

“Some of these eventually turn out to be gold-plated tungsten. Using the fake pictures and videos, gold scammers then convince victims to provide huge amounts of money for the purpose of transporting the gold from mining sites or specific locations to Accra for the said transaction.

“Once the money for supposedly transporting the gold is received by scammers, various excuses are then given as reasons for their failure to deliver the gold to Accra. The scammers also use these excuses to claim more money for facilitating delivery of the gold,” it indicated in a press statement signed by Managing Director-PMMC, Nana Akwasi Awuah.

The statement further explained that in addition to this tactic, scammers also export some grammes or a kilo of gold purposely to win the confidence and trust of their victims, and to prove their apparent capacity to supply larger quantities.

However, once the victim’s trust is won, demands for huge sums of money are made; after which the fraudsters disappear, leaving their victim/s frustrated.

The general public, particularly individuals interested in purchasing gold, is hereby advised to be extremely cautious so they do not fall prey to these fraudulent schemes.

“Prospective gold buyers are also encouraged to conduct due diligence to ensure they are getting value for money. At all times, the usual caveat emptor precautions should be adhered to. Prospective gold buyers are therefore advised to contact PMMC, the only recognised National Assayer, to supervise their gold purchase transactions,” it urged.