Eugene police warn of traveling SUV scammers selling fake stamped gold jewelry

Eugene Police warned residents March 3, 2026, that a traveling group in an unknown SUV has approached people in parking lots and on sidewalks, selling gold jewelry that appears real but later proved counterfeit. Police say three individuals in Eugene and the Lane County area were victimized in the previous two weeks, prompting the advisory.

The suspects have been described as a man, a pregnant woman and two children traveling together in an unknown SUV. Police said the man used varying stories to solicit purchases; in one incident he claimed to be from Turkey and in another he said he was from Dubai and traveling to either Los Angeles or Seattle. The department summarized the tactic this way: "Scammers are approaching people in public places, offering fake gold jewelry stamped to look legitimate."

In each reported case victims paid for jewelry that appeared stamped like real gold and later discovered the pieces were fake after taking them to pawn shops for evaluation. Eugene Police made the point directly: "Victims discovered the jewelry was fake after taking it to pawn shops." Authorities advised residents not to buy jewelry from unknown sources and to report suspicious activity to law enforcement.

Key details remain unreported by police. The advisory does not include a vehicle make, model, color or license plate for the SUV, and no suspect names, ages or photographs were released. Eugene Police did not provide information on the amounts paid by victims, the pawn shops that tested the items or any surveillance footage from the incidents. Police also did not report any arrests in connection with the three cases covered by the advisory.

Eugene Police framed the incidents as part of a wider pattern of traveling jewelry scams across the United States, noting that similar groups have used public spaces like parking lots to approach prospective buyers. The department reiterated practical precautions for people approached in public: decline unsolicited offers, do not hand over cash for jewelry sold on the street, and report encounters to police so investigators can track patterns and locations.

The March 3 warning leaves investigators with several clear follow-up items: identifying precise incident locations, obtaining vehicle or photo evidence, and confirming whether surrounding jurisdictions have seen linked reports. For now the concrete facts are three victims in Eugene and Lane County within two weeks, an unknown SUV, a group described as a man, a pregnant woman and two children, and pawn-shop confirmation that the stamped gold was fake. Eugene Police asked residents to report any similar encounters to authorities so investigators can pursue leads and protect the community.