Michael E. Minden Diamond Jewelers wants to make sure customers are alerted of a scam that's happening throughout our valley. Someone will approach you, either in a parking lot, gas station, casino, or hotel claiming that they've lost all their money. Sometimes, they are in an SUV with a woman and children saying that they are in need of food and gas money. They produce a piece of jewelry that is hallmarked as 14k or 18k gold so it appears authentic to the average person and sometimes it will be branded with a store name such as Zales. These items are not gold. This scam has been used all across the country! We want you to be aware so you don't fall victim and spend your money on something that has no value. We are attaching a few sample images of items brought to us that have been proven to NOT be gold.

If this happens to you, document as much as you can, ie. license plate, description of the person, description of the vehicle, location of encounter, and contact law enforcement ASAP!