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There are currently dealers in the Vogelsberg district who allegedly buy furs and antiques. According to the district administration, they are actually targeting jewelry and precious metals.
Vogelsbergkreis – Under the pretext of lucrative fur and antique purchases, dubious dealers in the Vogelsbergkreis are currently primarily targeting precious metals. “These alleged fur buyers are out for gold,” warn District Administrator Dr. Jens Mischak (CDU) and the commercial department of the district administration. The authority had already warned about the gold trick last year.
According to the information, people who do not come from the region have rented shops in various municipalities and registered the “purchase of furs, leather jackets, antiques and much more” with the trade office. It is striking that the advertising expressly does not promote the purchase of jewelry and precious metals.
Fake fur buyers in the Vogelsberg district are out for gold
“These items are only asked about by the sellers during initial discussions or are required as a condition for the purchase of furs, carpets or other old items,” warns the trade department. In this way, an attempt is made to avoid a background check by the authorities that is actually necessary.
The next step would be to place large advertisements or distribute flyers. There are currently leaflets circulating again with a six-day purchase campaign, “which suggest top prices that do not actually exist,” according to the responsible specialist office.
Another common scam is information stands in the entrance areas of supermarkets. There they are allegedly advertising out-of-town shops where customers can trade in their used furs, antiques and carpets at top prices. “But be careful, this scam is just intended to lure customers to bring any jewelry and precious metals they may have with them to sell,” the district said in a statement.
Scam à la “Cash for Rares”
According to the district administration, traders offer a third option based on the model ZDF-Broadcast “Cash for rares” to evaluate valuable items on stalls at supermarkets in order to purchase them for alleged “exhibitions”. The actual assessment then preferably takes place in the customers' homes – with the aim of not allowing any alternative assessment and avoiding official or police controls.
District Administrator Mischak expressly warns against the methods of these buyers. They are not really interested in furs or other used items, but primarily in gold and silver. The traders visited people who had fur to sell at their homes and had them show them jewelry, gold or other precious metals.
“There is a significant risk of being taken by surprise here, especially for older people. It cannot be assumed that the dubious buyers will properly evaluate the items, but that prices are paid that are far too low. The customers have no chance of having a second evaluation carried out by a more reputable buyer,” said the district administrator. Such visits should not be allowed and, in particular, no gold or jewelry should be given “for viewing”.
Warning about dubious dealers – authorities give tips
If a transaction does occur, the district administration advises to insist on cash payment immediately and to show the ID of the person involved so that the transaction can be traced afterwards. In any case, those affected should have a purchase receipt issued with the buyer's name and address.
In general, the Vogelsbergkreis recommends always obtaining several offers when selling old jewelry, silver, broken or coin gold. If you have doubts about the seriousness of a buyer, you can contact the Vogelsbergkreis commercial department – by email at gewerbeamt@vogelsbergkreis.de or by phone at 06641/9770. In urgent cases, the East Hesse Police Headquarters are available on 0661/105-0, any other police station or the Hesse Police online station at www.polizei.hessen.de.
