UK Gemology Group Warns of Jewelry Scam

Consumers mainly in the UK have received unsolicited jewelry parcels carrying fake identification certificates, the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) has warned.

People have reported receiving “diamond solitaire” rings in “platinum” in a grey or pink box, Gem-A said Thursday. These came in pink gift bags with the word “Princess” in gold letters. They had no identifying postage labels, receipts, confirmation letters or information documents, the London-based education provider explained.

Each parcel included a fake laminated “identification certificate” purporting to be from the “Fellowship of Gemological Association of Great Britain” — with the American spelling of “gemological” and not the British style that the organization uses.

The fraudulent document also contains the logos of the International Gemological Institute (IGI), the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), Platinum Guild International, and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem-A said.

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The recipients did not get any request for payment or have any communication with the sender, a Gem-A spokesperson told Rapaport News Sunday. Most of the individuals were in the UK, with some in other parts of northern Europe. One person who received a parcel in March has not heard or received anything since, it added. The jewelry in question has not yet been tested to find out what the actual materials are, she noted.

“Gem-A has no idea what the motive is but is continuing to investigate via its own channels,” the spokesperson added.

It received the first alert about a “handful” of incidents in March via social media and email. “In recent weeks, however, the practice appears to have reared back into action, with multiple affected parties sending concerned direct messages and emails about jewelry items they hadn’t ordered branded with the Gem-A logo,” the group noted.

Gem-A asked for anyone who is sent such a parcel to report it to the organization and not be enticed by anyone claiming to be the sender.

“As an educator and membership organization, we don’t produce jewelry, nor do we provide any kind of grading or stone identification services,” said Gem-A CEO Alan Hart. “Although our members and those in the trade are undoubtedly aware of this, the public is less informed.”

Main image: One of the fake certificates. (Gem-A)