The initial gold-buying frenzy may have passed, but many jewelers continue to buy estate and scrap jewelry from consumers on a regular basis.
If you’re one of those who continue to have success with purchasing scrap metals over the counter, know that it’s not without risk. Keep this advice for buying scrap in mind to help make all of your transactions as smooth as possible:
Investigate local, state, and federal requirements to learn whether you need to adhere to certain gold-buying laws, such as:
- Obtain a secondhand dealer’s license
- Request identification of the seller
- Keep a log with a detailed description of each item purchased and the seller’s name and identification
- Hold items for a specific time period
- Comply with the USA PATRIOT Act.
Be prepared to keep a daily log that includes:
- Purchase date
- Total weight of scrap gold and other metals, sorted by type (Platinum, 14k, 10k, etc.), purchased that day
- Market value as of the purchase date.
Be aware that local ordinances may prohibit cash payments
If, however, you may use cash for over-the-counter purchases, consider making smaller and more frequent cash withdrawals to limit the amount of cash on your premises.
Payments by check are preferable for security purposes
If after the transaction you discover that a switch or other problem with the scrap metals has occurred, you may have time to cancel payment on the check.
RELATED: 16 Ways to Stay Alert for Check & Credit Card Fraud
Consider extra surveillance cameras in the area where you conduct your gold buys
Obvious surveillance cameras can be a deterrent in the war against jewelry crime. Ensure that the camera is set up to record a clear facial shot of the person(s) from whom you are buying the gold or other precious metals.
Do not hesitate to stop the transaction
Trust your instincts if something seems wrong or “off” with a potential seller. If the seller rejects your purchase offer and upon exiting the store changes his/her mind, be wary. You will need to re-evaluate the entire lot in order to make sure a switch has not occurred. This is a common ploy of switch artists.
Join a local crime network
- They share invaluable information regarding current crime trends and stolen merchandise.
- They are very helpful in preventing the purchase of stolen merchandise.
- They can also assist in the identification and apprehension of criminals.
