Gold Ring Scam in Shad Thames area

Please be aware of an old scam that has arrived in Shad Thames area. A dark swarthy man of Eastern European appearance, aged about mid 40s, with tattoo on the hand.. claims to have found gold ring where you are standing/sitting and after intially walking away he returns and offers you the ring to keep, saying it is your lucky day. He then presses for money, just £10 so he can buy a meal. It's been around European capital cities for years but now seems to arrived in London. The ring is fake, even though it seems to have a hall mark.. it's copper with fake plated gold.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/forum/read/1/151287

This scam has re-appeared with a vengeance over the last couple of weeks in the area of the South bank and environs . It is operated by both men and women (Romanian/Eastern European appearance/accent) and as has been stated the usual trick is the scammer stands alongside the victim at the kerbside bends down and pretends to pick up The Ring and then offers it to the victim for a fiver or so.The jewellers on Lower Marsh get up to 2/3 victims trying to get the brass rings valued every week (currently).Most crestfallen victims say that they found it rather than admit they have been conned.
All that glisters is not gold.

Am I the only one who wonders why anyone would buy a lost or stolen ring, fake gold or otherwise? If it was real gold, it would probably be precious to the person who lost it, regardless of value. If it's fake, quite frankly any buyer deserves to be conned.

suziq wrote:

Am I the only one who wonders why anyone would buy a lost or stolen ring

Greed. Pure and simple.

This happened to me parked in Bond St last year in my Spitfire.
I looked at the ring. Looked a heavy gold one, gave it back to the guy and suggested he hand it in at the police station as I was too busy and he was the one that found it!
Wondered why he seemed a bit pissed off......