This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An Ogden woman thought she was getting a gold brick for a bargain, until she realized too late that she had been scammed out of a small fortune, police say.
According to Ogden police Lt. Tim Scott, the victim was approached by another woman Sept. 9 outside the Winco at 205 W. 12th St. The woman described mounting medical bills for her terminally ill husband, then she pulled out what she claimed was a gold bar.
Scott said the woman told the victim that the bar was worth $20,000 but she would sell it for a mere $10,000. At the same time, Scott said, a man happened to walk by and claimed to be an authority on gold. The man — who police say was in cahoots with the woman — confirmed that the bar was worth $20,000.
The victim then went to her bank, withdrew $10,000 and handed the money over to the woman. She later discovered the bar was a worthless lump of brass, according to Scott.
Police are now searching for the duo who pulled off the scam. The woman is described as Latino, 40 years old and 5 feet tall. She wore a navy shirt, black pants, a tan visor and carried a long black purse.
The man also is described as Latino and about 40 years old. He stands about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He wore a blue shirt and gray pants.
In addition, Scott said similar incidents have happened in the recent past and people should be on the lookout for potential scams. Scott said the scammers often target native Spanish speakers and foreign nationals.
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