Is this a gem scam?

8ft-sativa

So i'm staying at a guest house and the owners have a jewelery store and import/export business.

Now too avoid duty tax they want to send $10,000 worth of stones in my name back too my home country.

Now if I say yes and they send the stones in my name . . . . what have I got too lose?

As long as they don't ask for my credit card number or the like ( I would never give them my cc number) is it a risky situation?

Thanks for your time

Carlos

Nick-H

Of course it's a scam.

Would you ask a stranger to handle $10,000 for you?

What have you got to loose? If the gems are real, you could be done for smuggling, for starters.

Walk away. No, run!

8ft-sativa

Thanks, yeah i'll politely decline. I got the feel it was a scam and just came here for a second opinion.

What made it seem feesable is that this guy is pretty wealthy and does own a jewelery business.

And I was thinking as long as he doesn't ask for my credit card number what's the worst he could do?

Anyway, thanks it seems way too good to be true.

obione980

Soft entry (apparently), which very quickly becomes a hard squeeze!! Of course it's a scam!!

Haylo

Do you really have to ask? Besides, you would be breaking the law, isn't that enough of a reason to refuse?

If you agree to this, you have already broken the law and can be deported from India or worse.

This puts them in a position where you are unable to cooperate with other things they ask you to do. See previous gem scam threads on here which describe the dreadful situations that people can end up in.

As are many criminals. For some, crime does pay!

__________________
The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Merchant

Watch a couple of episodes of "Locked Up Abroad" on the National Geographic channel, and this will all make sense to you.

ananda2193

Are you in Jaipur BTW. Because Jaipur is notorious for gem scams.

palerider

Just to clarify, if the gems are posted in your name, you will be responsible for paying the excise on them to import them into New Zealand.
That's after you get out of prison for smuggling jewels.

__________________
I always wanted to be someone when I grew up, I realise now that I should have been more specific.

Merchant

One guy wrote a whole book about this stuff:

"Chasing the Mountain of Light: Across India on the Trail of the Koh-i-noor Diamond," by Kevin Rushby. He explores the underbelly of the diamond trade.

http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mounta.../dp/0312228139

dukkha

Don't listen to these pussies, they just don't want to see you get rich. How many of them have fancy yachts do you think? Exactly. None of them. They'll be begging to borrow your Ferrari after you make it big in the gem trade.

This is EASY money. You just need to hide the swag REALLY well. And outwit the mafia and the cops.

Easy peasy.

/sarcasm

dukkha

Depends where you hide them!

palerider

But he doesn't even get to carry them, and look fabulous!!.

Oh god, it's too horrible. I can hear the last words trailing off as they drag you down the corridor at the airport.....But but but but but.

Haylo

Butt...

palerider

I'd suggest a slap on the bum for that comment, but you don't want an unfortunate accident, and give the game away.
Slap slap, tinkle crash....Oh what's that?. They're not mine.!!!!!

Haylo

What's even funnier is that it will be dukkha's butt on the line, you can slap his bum instead, and I'll wait for the tinkle crash with amusement!

Did I say will be? I meant, of course, would be.

Haylo, not at all an international gem smuggler, and not at all soon to be rich beyond her wildest dreams!