Alaska State Troopers have issued a warning about a jewelry scam that initially emerged in Anchorage but has now spread to various parts of the state, from Homer to Fairbanks. In this scam, individuals approach citizens and request them to buy their jewelry, claiming they need the money to get home. Unfortunately, the purchased jewelry turns out to be fake, leaving victims deceived.
Recently, two Romanian men, Valentin Miclescu and Ion Boceanu, were arrested in Fairbanks in connection with this scheme. Miclescu faces charges for using a fake Romanian ID to obtain airline tickets, while Boceanu is charged with second-degree theft for using a debit card that wasn’t his.
Reports of the fake-gold scam surfaced on Facebook between August 29 and September 15, with police warnings from various Alaskan cities, including Homer, Soldotna, North Pole, and Fairbanks. The suspects typically appear well-dressed and foreign in their attire and speech. They approach citizens in parking lots, residences, or claim to be stranded on the road, running out of gas. When confronted, they become verbally aggressive in their attempts to sell low-priced gold jewelry. Subsequently, victims discover that the purchased jewelry is not genuine gold.
Investigations are ongoing, and the full extent of the victims’ losses and the number of suspects involved remain undetermined. Alaska State Troopers urge citizens to remain vigilant against potential scams, emphasizing the importance of not falling for deals that seem too good to be true.
Victims of this scam, whether they provided money or not, are encouraged to contact law enforcement. They can reach AST investigators at 907-451-5100 or report anonymously through the AKTips smartphone app or the website https://a.tip411.com/alerts/86405. Alternatively, they can text the keyword “AKTips” to 847411, followed by their anonymous tip.