New scam hits Tri-Cities. There’s nothing pure about this ‘gold’ jewelry

It is a newer version of an age-old scam: a person in desperate need of cash offers up a valuable item in exchange for the money.

In this case it was “gold,” but there was nothing pure about it.

Kennewick police are warning people to watch out for fraudsters who have been hitting up customers at Tri-Cities gas stations in recent weeks.

Police learned about the scam from pawn shop owners.

The stores reported a number of people coming in to sell “gold” jewelry, only to learn it is fake, according to a Kennewick Facebook post.

Victims have told the pawn shops similar stories about being approached by a man “claiming to be in a dire situation and needing money. The suspect male claims to have gold and will sell it to the victims at a reduced cost.”

People swayed by his story have swapped cash for the jewelry, only to later learn it has no value and they can’t recoup their money.

Police described the suspect as Hispanic, and said he is driving a white van or a blue SUV with children inside.

Anyone who has been a victim of this fraud or approached by the suspect is encouraged to call Kennewick police through non-emergency dispatch, 509-628-0333.

Officers are trying to identify the man.

“We would like to remind you that if you are approached on the street or in a parking lot by someone you do not know to purchase something, there’s a good chance the item is not real or is stolen,” police said. “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

“Give us a call right away and let us come out and investigate.”

This story was originally published September 30, 2019 at 12:46 PM.