'Worthless' gold rings being sold in Emporia

EMPORIA (KSNT) - If someone drove up to you and asked you for $2,000 in exchange for a gold ring, would you take it?

The Emporia Police Department took to social media to warn locals about a scam in the area involving fake gold rings.

There has been a report of people selling gold rings out of nice cars. The people selling the rings are claiming the rings are valued at $2,000 or more. However, they are worthless. Please do not purchase jewelry from anyone selling it from a car.

Emporia Police Department Facebook statement

These scams are not new to northeast Kansas. Last year, police in Junction City and a local pawn shop warned people about 'gas station gold' scammers trying to take advantage of people's kindness. The scammers would approach a potential victim in a parking lot or gas station with fake jewelry like chains, rings and watches. They reportedly used stories of sick family members of a need for gas money to get people to hand over their money in exchange for the fake merchandise.

Victims reported similar scams the summer in 2022, this time for the cities of Ottawa and Lawrence. If you think someone is selling fake jewelry in your area, contact your local law enforcement.