Unsuspecting residents of North Alabama have been scammed out of thousands of dollars by people selling counterfeit gold and silver in recent months, and law enforcement agencies across the region are warning - buyer beware.
The most recent cases involve transactions at flea markets, including Dog Days in Ardmore and Lacon, located in Morgan County, according to the Limestone County Sheriff's Office. That agency, the Morgan County Sheriff's Office and the Huntsville Police Department have all recently investigated cases involving the fake metals.
In multiple local cases, elderly buyers have been the targets.
"At this time, investigators are unsure where the counterfeit coins and bars are being produced," Stephen Young, a spokesman for the Limestone County Sheriff's Office, said in a joint news release from the agencies. "They suspect the counterfeits may also be purchased online."
Though breaking the seal of the packaging on legitimate coins and bars devalue the items, officials are recommending that buyers making large investments break the seal and have at least one of the items tested.
"A simple weighing of the item or acid test can determine a counterfeit in seconds," Young said.
Buyers should also get identification proving a potential seller is who he or she says they are.
"Anyone should be leery of a collection worth thousands being sold at a flea market, when coin buyers and professional businesses will pay the worth of these items," Young said.
Anyone who recently purchased coins or bars that look like the photos provided by the agencies should have them tested. Buyers who have been swindled should call their local law enforcement agency.
The Huntsville Police Department can be reached at 256-722-7100 and the Madison County Sheriff's Office at 256-722-7181. The Limestone County Sheriff's Office can be reached at 256-232-0111.
The Morgan County Sheriff's Office can be reached at 256-351-4800.