Kansas couple loses $45,000 in gold coin scam
Michigan
Posts: 4,942 ✭
Salina Journal
The owners of a Salina store lost $45,000 to scam artists who convinced them that gold coins were buried under their store, then came up with an elaborate process the two would have to go through to retrieve the fortune.
Deputy Chief Mike Marshall said the two men showed the couple, Maria and Alejandro Ramos, a machine that supposedly beeped to indicate the presence of gold. They convinced the couple that the machine detected gold under the floor of the back room of their store, El Azteca De Oro, 427 S. Broadway.
Marshall said the couple allowed the men to use a jackhammer to get through the concrete, then dig into the soil. The scammers claimed to find a clay box, with a cross on the top and the year "1878" on the bottom. Inside was a letter, written on a leather sheet, that indicated that a treasure chest containing $70,000 in gold coins was buried one to two meters below the box. In order to keep their family from having bad luck for four generations, the letter offered these instructions:
The Ramoses could not tell anyone of the discovery, they were to build a worship altar to the god Fray, they were to recite the rosary together for nine days, and they were to place in the box money equivalent to the value of the gold coins and leave it there for nine days.
The Ramoses and the men did as instructed, with the Ramoses contributing $45,000 in cash and the two men allegedly putting in $25,000.
The cash was placed in the box on the altar on July 27. The Ramoses and the two men were to start reciting the rosary together every day on July 28.
Marshall said the scammers called the Ramoses July 28 and indicated that they couldn't get to Salina.
The men never showed up again, and the Ramoses couldn't reach them. But Marshall said the couple recited the rosary every day, for nine days, as instructed.
On Aug. 11, Marshall said, they looked in the box, and all of the money was gone. The box had been filled with newspaper.
They notified police Wednesday.
Marshall said a similar scam was pulled recently at a Reno County store.
The owners of a Salina store lost $45,000 to scam artists who convinced them that gold coins were buried under their store, then came up with an elaborate process the two would have to go through to retrieve the fortune.
Deputy Chief Mike Marshall said the two men showed the couple, Maria and Alejandro Ramos, a machine that supposedly beeped to indicate the presence of gold. They convinced the couple that the machine detected gold under the floor of the back room of their store, El Azteca De Oro, 427 S. Broadway.
Marshall said the couple allowed the men to use a jackhammer to get through the concrete, then dig into the soil. The scammers claimed to find a clay box, with a cross on the top and the year "1878" on the bottom. Inside was a letter, written on a leather sheet, that indicated that a treasure chest containing $70,000 in gold coins was buried one to two meters below the box. In order to keep their family from having bad luck for four generations, the letter offered these instructions:
The Ramoses could not tell anyone of the discovery, they were to build a worship altar to the god Fray, they were to recite the rosary together for nine days, and they were to place in the box money equivalent to the value of the gold coins and leave it there for nine days.
The Ramoses and the men did as instructed, with the Ramoses contributing $45,000 in cash and the two men allegedly putting in $25,000.
The cash was placed in the box on the altar on July 27. The Ramoses and the two men were to start reciting the rosary together every day on July 28.
Marshall said the scammers called the Ramoses July 28 and indicated that they couldn't get to Salina.
The men never showed up again, and the Ramoses couldn't reach them. But Marshall said the couple recited the rosary every day, for nine days, as instructed.
On Aug. 11, Marshall said, they looked in the box, and all of the money was gone. The box had been filled with newspaper.
They notified police Wednesday.
Marshall said a similar scam was pulled recently at a Reno County store.
0
Comments
I cannot believe how gullable (and stupid) people can be when it comes to 'get rich' schemes.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
Had the letter stated a more believable god, such as Buddha, I'd have easily forked over my share of the $70,000. Lots of good gold coins around the year 1878.
roadrunner
San Diego, CA
<< <i>Only Christians recited the rosary every day, why would they do it to the god Fray? That is what they get for breaking the 10 commandments.
You are asking logical questions that this couple should have been asking but didn't.
Greg Hansen, Melbourne, FL Click here for any current EBAY auctions Multiple "Circle of Trust" transactions over 14 years on forum
Actually I think it's Roman Catholics that recite the rosary every day, or are supposed to.
Yup, P.T. Barum was right.
Not too surprising if you've ever been to a country with extreme religious beliefs, in my case parts of Mexico, where you drive through towns poor as dirt,yet the churches are incredible. Or the woman crawling on her knee's for miles because of a promise made when she prayed.
I know, they'll be repayed in the after-life, just like the seven virgins awaiting the suicide bombers.
Blind faith.
Getting off the religious soapbox now.
Now I'm wondering how these folks where smart enough to start their own business?
<< <i>
<< <i>Only Christians recited the rosary every day, why would they do it to the god Fray? That is what they get for breaking the 10 commandments.
You are asking logical questions that this couple should have been asking but didn't. >>
I'm sure the scammers "shopped" the store carefully before hatching the plot. This couple was chosen for low IQ and high gullibility. (I sure hope they don't read this as I don't mean to insult them.) Not that I don't feel for them but that's how it works. Another factor not mentioned in this is age. As people get older their scammability seems to go up dramaticly. My high school physics teacher, a very bright man, lost most of his retirement to scammers as he got older, easily confused, and for some reason more gullible. he is now penniless in a rest home. Those of you with aging friends and relatives should act proactively to avoid this. In retrospect I should have. --jerry
To help keep this topic US Coin related!
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
To the god Fray
He will send you
A 1933 Saint
Then he will tell the FBI.
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Only Christians recited the rosary every day, why would they do it to the god Fray? That is what they get for breaking the 10 commandments.
You are asking logical questions that this couple should have been asking but didn't. >>
I'm sure the scammers "shopped" the store carefully before hatching the plot. This couple was chosen for low IQ and high gullibility. (I sure hope they don't read this as I don't mean to insult them.) Not that I don't feel for them but that's how it works. Another factor not mentioned in this is age. As people get older their scammability seems to go up dramaticly. My high school physics teacher, a very bright man, lost most of his retirement to scammers as he got older, easily confused, and for some reason more gullible. he is now penniless in a rest home. Those of you with aging friends and relatives should act proactively to avoid this. In retrospect I should have. --jerry >>
Yes, I guess it could be age, as most but not all people get older their minds seem to deteriorate.
San Diego, CA
Young Numismatist ............................ and growing!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I wonder if the scammers were heirs of a deposed Nigerian leader?
NSDR - Life Member
SSDC - Life Member
ANA - Pay As I Go Member
Stick to coins, you are very ignorant here.
TorinoCobra71
Old story, Michigan. Sorry! I finally beat Michigan to a story! hehehe
<< <i>"After nine days pass, they look in the box and see the money's gone, replaced with newspaper." >>
<< <i>Unfortunately, they neglected to realize that their brains are gone, too -- obviously replaced with sawdust. >>