The Judiciary Police (PJ) urged both the general public and the business sector in a statement on Monday that several fraud cases involving the use of “gold-plated silver” jewellery purporting to be real gold have been reported in neighbouring regions recently.
According to the statement, “gold-plated silver” refers to ornaments with a silver core and a gold-plated surface. While they closely resemble pure gold jewellery in appearance, their value is significantly lower.
The Judiciary Police reminded businesses engaged in gold recycling and pawnbroking to heighten their vigilance, the statement said, adding that when recycling or accepting gold jewellery as collateral, they should conduct strict inspections; such as to avoid skipping the gold verification process based solely on professional experience, visual judgment or trust built from previous transactions. Moreover, professional instruments and multiple testing methods should be used for authentication, and transaction records should be properly kept to avoid falling into traps.
Meanwhile, the police also reminded residents to purchase gold jewellery only from reputable merchants with physical shops. If strangers offer to sell gold at prices significantly lower than the market rate, or claim they need to sell it urgently, consumers should remain wary and verify carefully the item to avoid suffering any losses due to negligence, the statement added.
The statement noted that if gold jewellery’s price is much lower than the market gold price, it is highly likely a trap so residents should choose reputable merchants, keep the relevant receipts as proof of purchase for future verification, and be sure to examine labels and hallmarks* when buying the products.
The statement underscored that gold-plated silver does not have purity marks like “999” or “24K” that indicate solid gold. Therefore, consumers must not omit the verification process based on experience, appearance, or past trust, and conduct strict inspections when recycling their gold. If in doubt, residents can call the PJ Anti-Scam helpline on 8800 7777 or the emergency hotline on 993 for assistance.
*A hallmark is a mark or stamp that indicates the authenticity and quality of precious metals, such as gold or silver. It often includes the metal’s purity, the maker’s mark, and other relevant information. – Poe
This poster provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) on Monday urges residents and businesses to remain wary of ‘Gold-Plated Silver’ scams.
