Buyer-Beware: There’s an ‘Eric Gillibrand’ using Bullion.Directory to scam people
Bullion.Directory News 08 January, 2024
By Alison Macdonald
Commercial Editor at Bullion.Directory
In an unexpected twist to the typical Ghanaian advance fee scam using gold as the bait, Bullion.Directory UK has now become an unknowing ‘headquarters’ for this fraud.
Now it might not be Ghana in your case, but if you get an email supposedly about an amazing gold deal in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon or Mali (other countries are available) – and Bullion.Directory is mentioned…
We don’t buy gold, we don’t sell gold and we certainly don’t get involved in bulk transactions between random nobodies and weird invented companies, selling gold below spot.
Here’s today’s example from our supposed ‘affiliate’ Eric Gillibrand in Ghana (and there’s no way this is his actual name, but clearly going for a weird made-up name that shows no current results in Google is the way to go here)
BULLION.DIRECTORY
106B High St, Dunbar
EH42 1JJ, UK
LETTER OF INTENT
Dear sir ,
On behalf of Bullion.directory from main branch situated in the stated address ,legally appoints MR . Eric Gillibrand , Branch manager of MA Gold and mines with full corporate and right under penalty of perjury , confirm to be ready , willing and able to buy and pay for the items in custody under these conditions and terms as follow ;
Commodity ; Gold bars
PURITY
99.9% MAX
Packing : Bulk
Origin: Ghana
Quantity: -+/Sellers Option
Unit price :USD (market option)
Discharge Port: Any port from Origin
Partial shipment : Not Allowed
Port of loading: Any port from Origin
Packing time : Withing 7 days after succesful payment
We’d prefer our terms being brought into consideration as power of commitment
Bullion.Directory contribution fees ;(1200 euros)
In this case, the shipment is for 50kg of gold.
We’ve seen 100MT, we’ve even seen 1000MT/mo. I know. But some people fall for this.
By waving a 1 or 2% commission on this usually below-market value gold, the fraudsters will try to get some advance fee out of the mark.
In this case 1200 euros.
And people fall for it all the time.
If you get an email like this, or see anything like this and you are NOT already an established expert in the field or connected with a major gold refinery, then run.
It’s a scam. You are the target. The gold is not real.
100%.
Nobody and I mean NOBODY sells gold at below market price.
Nobody and I mean NOBODY has trouble selling legitimate gold and all legitimate suppliers will have major refinery buyers lining up to take it off them at full price, no discounts asked, no discounts given.
Don’t let the thoughts of a 6 or 7 figure commission cloud your brain.
It’s a scam and you’ll only end up out of pocket.
Now, if you excuse me I have the Statue of Liberty to sell…
Alison Macdonald
Ask Ally, is your direct line to gold investment wisdom. Alison “Ally” Macdonald, with her extensive experience and sharp tongue, cuts through clutter to offer honest, insider takes on your gold investment questions.
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As the former King Kadogo III of Ghana, living in exile in Hong Kong I can assure you Eric Gillibrand is real and duly licensed by my Royal Ring to enter into secret corporate agreements outside of the Bullion.Directory owner’s knowledge.
If you doubt this, I can send an officially notarized copy of his agreement for a $1100 processing fee.